Japanese Knotweed perils explained: Notorious plant causes trouble for home buyers and sellers in Yorkshire

A London seller was recently sued £200,000 after his former property was found to have Japanese knotweed growing behind a shed. If your property is infected then it can take years to treat, cost you thousands of pounds and have a real impact on the value and saleability of your property.

But it is still possible to sell a house that has knotweed.

Chris Hodgkinson, Managing Director of House Buyer Bureau explains “Properties that have Japanese knotweed will take longer to sell, achieve a lower sale price and are far more likely to see sales fall through as buyers don’t want the cost and hassle of having to deal with it. That’s why we see many sellers turn to property buying firms like House Buyer Bureau who are still prepared to buy the problem properties that most other buyers shun. The same goes for properties with structural issues or those with legal title issues, built with non-standard materials or just suffering from noisy neighbours!”

So what is knotweed, how do you identify it, do I have to declare it, and what can I do about it?

What is it?

Japanese knotweed is an aggressive weed with an incredibly strong root system. So strong that it can grow through brick. Chris adds: “Japanese knotweed’s roots are so strong they cause damage to a building’s foundations. This is why mortgage lenders won’t lend on properties with knotweed. Treating the problem costs thousands and takes two to three years to complete. So if you don’t want to do this you are limited to selling to an experienced cash buyer, who is going to expect a discount.”

Knotweedhelp.com report that there are an estimated 25,000 infestations across the UK. That is one for every 10 square kilometres.

How do I identify it?

You don’t need to be an expert to identify knotweed, but it can be tricky as it changes its appearance through the year and there are several other plants that look very similar. If you think you have knotweed, then there are several free tools you can use. You could visit the Home Selling Expert site for a free assessment, or you could download the Picture This app which lets you take a picture and use artificial intelligence to identify the plant species. The app has a free 7-day trial, so as long as you cancel before then it won’t cost you anything to use.

Do I have to declare it?

The simple answer here is YES.

Chris says: “Every seller has to complete a document called a Property Information Form (TA6). The forms are designed by the Law Society and need to be answered truthfully by the seller to avoid future legal repercussions. Even if you try and chance it, you will get found out as all surveyors are trained to specifically look for knotweed.”

What can I do about it?

Government guidance is that you don’t have to do anything, but you could be prosecuted of given a community protection notice if you allow it to spread to anyone else’s property.

If you want to remove it before selling your property then you should consider contacting professional companies who specialise in this. The Royal Horticultural Society) site contains details of companies that could help. This will cost you money and take 2 to 3 years before the knotweed is fully removed. Taking this route means you could then sell your property for more money and have more potential buyers as your property will be mortgageable again.

If you don’t want to go to the expense of dealing with the knotweed then your options are limited to selling at auction, or to a property buying company. If you try and sell via an estate agent you must declare the knotweed problem up front, limiting yourself to cash buyers (as no lender will consider a mortgage) which will take longer and you are most likely still going to sell for less money.

For your FREE cash offer, visit housebuyerbureau.co.uk/sell or call free 0800 880 3232