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Guest Posts – Getting To The Root Of The Problem: Japanese Knotweed
Most people have probably heard of Japanese knotweed, but perhaps they don’t fully understand the dangerous consequences of this plant. This week I have a guest post from Emma Williams at TP Japanese Knotweed removal. TP Knotweed are accredited members of the PCA, providing Japanese knotweed identification, management and eradication services with a ten year insurance backed guarantee.
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If you haven’t heard about Japanese knotweed yet, where have you been? This invasive plant has been making headlines in the UK and across the globe in recent years, due to its ferociously aggressive nature. But, despite it having been making a name for itself public in recent years, some people may not realise that Japanese knotweed has in fact been present in Britain since the 19th century. It was originally sent to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, after being discovered
Japanese knotweed might look pretty, but it’s dangerous stuff. © U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Northeast Region (Flickr)
by Victorian plant collectors near a cluster of volcanoes in Japan. The weed was viewed to be attractive and sturdy, and so was marketed to the public as a low-maintenance ornamental plant. But before long, the dangers of this weed became evident.
So, What’s The Problem?
You may be wondering what all the fuss is about, and exactly how dangerous a plant can really be. Well, perhaps it isn’t going to attack you any time soon, but it could attack your property and cost you serious money. This plant is a force to be reckoned with. Because once it has got its roots into your soil, this aggressive weed can grow at rapid speeds, spreading throughout a property at an uncontrollable rate, displaying a defiance which can damage even the sturdiest of buildings’ foundations. It has been known damage hard surfaces, boundary walls and underground drainage, and will even exploit weaknesses in concrete, brick and tarmac surfaces.
Over the past few years, industries have begun to wise up to the devastating effects of Japanese knotweed, and so are becoming stricter when it comes to identifying and managing growth of this weed within properties. Nowadays, when purchasing or selling a property, your mortgage surveyor should check for knotweed as standard, and alert you if the weed is found to be present in your garden.
Japanese Knotweed & The Property Market
As if there weren’t enough issues with the property market at present, Japanese knotweed can have a huge impact. If you’re looking to purchase a property where knotweed has been traced, it could cause your mortgage lender to refuse your loan entirely. If you’re selling and the weed is identified during the mortgage survey, you may well find yourself without a buyer. And, for new build development projects, Japanese knotweed identification can lead to costly delays waiting for a management plan to be put in place, and even spell the end of the project altogether. Even if you’re not planning on moving or selling, if you have the plant growing in your garden and it spreads to your neighbours, you could be sued for thousands of pounds worth of damages.
One of the most well-known cases of Japanese knotweed interfering with property plans was recently featured on the BBC. London couple Matt and Susie had just moved into a £300,000 new build property when Japanese knotweed became evident. The ferocious weed rapidly forced itself through the concrete and floorboards to enter their home. Because the couple had had a survey conducted when purchasing the property, and the weed had not been identified, they were told that their insurance would not cover the damage and the property’s value would drop by half. The couple lost thousands of pounds, simply due to the presence of Japanese knotweed.
What’s Being Done About It?
Luckily, there is a bright side. As knotweed comes more and more into the public eye, organisations are doing more to try to control the vicious weed. The PCA (Property Care Association) has recently developed the Invasive Weed Control Group, working with Japanese knotweed control companies across the country. They’ve developed a new Code of Practice and training programme for professional Japanese knotweed removal bodies, and provide advice on identification and management for the public. There are many instances where this weed has been missed during mortgage surveys, and the PCA aim to stop this, by providing clear training to knotweed removal industry leaders, and allowing the public to easily identify who is qualified to identify Japanese knotweed, and who is not. It is hoped that with the industry taking a pro-active and productive approach to the problem, together we’ll being able to get this ferocious weed under control.
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