Japanese knotweed

[ELBBUBKUNPS]

Found a house, had a survey done and because garden which is approx 200-250ft long backs on to railway line survey came back as saying "though no knotweed seen its conceivable it could go grow", knotweed likes verges around rail tracks, I never knew about knotweed till now.

Due to this comment mortgage is being referred no decision made, even if they decide to lend and even if the chances of it getting near the property due to length of garden is remote, its really putting me off proceeding now, most lenders wont lend if its present. Apart from this house is spot on nothing else about in area like it and nothing much on market, the knotweed does not bother me really but if I cant sell it in the future than its an issue. If you in the same boat would you walk or proceed ?

Thanks

[mudskipper]

Sounds ridiculous. There's no knotweed.

It's like going for a scan and being told "You don't have cancer, but it's conceivable that a tumour could grow in the future".

I think I'd feel inclined to see if knotweed has been a problem in the local area, if it hasn't, then I'd go ahead.

[Jubber]

Tell them to get knotted

[cojak]

Japanese knotweed

We had knotweed but regular gardening should control it. Referral of your mortgage because of the possibility of it getting into your garden is a bit bizarre - most gardens have it these days I would have thought.

I thought this post was about it rampaging though an old lady's garden threatening trees and building foundations.

Edit: ignore me, I was thinking of bindweed. Doh!

[fullyautomatix]

We had knotweed but regular gardening should control it. Referral of your mortgage because of the possibility of it getting into your garden is a bit bizarre - most gardens have it these days I would have thought.

I thought this post was about it rampaging though an old lady's garden threatening trees and building foundations.

What ???

Considering that its illegal to even dispose of it the normal way, and if found in the garden, not only will it devastate the house foundations, the house itself becomes unsellable. Treatment is by specialists and they provide a 10 year guarantee without which the house would probably have to be demolished.

[GlenW]

rampaging though an old lady's garden

Now there's an image I didn't want this early in the morning.

[Halo Jones]

JK is a pain in the proverbial, as Cojak said it can be managed – as in cut it back every month.

The length of the garden is nothing to JK as it will grow 30mm / day & the root system goes deep underground – you may think you have cut it back but it could be dormant

But true removal costs a fortune & needs a specialist, the danger is that JK will go through concrete (the risk is damage to foundations)

As rail lines are not maintained (beyond trimming back) & NR will not pay for removal of JK, rail lines are a high risk area.

The surveyor is covering his PI by identifying the risk.

It’s up to you to decide the risk – assuming the mortgage provider agrees to lend.

Here is some info <linky>

[ELBBUBKUNPS]

I want the house but not if it means I cant sell it in future, some morg companies wont lend even if there is a case of it on the street, railway embankment are prone to it as it was the victorians who introduced it as a quick grower to cover embankments. I will ring council and some surveyors in the area today.

[fullyautomatix]

I want the house but not if it means I cant sell it in future, some morg companies wont lend even if there is a case of it on the street, railway embankment are prone to it as it was the victorians who introduced it as a quick grower to cover embankments. I will ring council and some surveyors in the area today.

How many times has that house sold in the past, say, 10 years ?

Think about it, if you are having doubts, your buyers will have similar. But, a lot of unsellable houses eventually do sell but at massive discounts etc.

[mudskipper]

How many times has that house sold in the past, say, 10 years ?

Think about it, if you are having doubts, your buyers will have similar. But, a lot of unsellable houses eventually do sell but at massive discounts etc.

Also, do neighbouring houses sell? They back onto the same railway, so same risk factor. JK is big in the news now, but it's been around since Victorian times. How long do you intend to stay in the house? If more than a few years then there will be a new bogey man - we had a similar thing with our house and subsidence, because some of the houses in the area had suffered. 15 years on, and no problems.

This puts it into perspective:
Japanese knotweed: the scourge that could sink your house sale | Money | The Guardian

According to Richard Sexton, business development director of e.surv: "No house in the UK has fallen down because of knotweed. "