How to Identify Japanese Knotweed
Japanese knotweed can halt a house sale, but with a variety of ways to identify and treat it, it doesn't have to stop you buying your perfect home.
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Japanese knotweed can halt a house sale, but with a variety of ways to identify and treat it, it doesn't have to stop you buying your perfect home.
The 7-metre rule was introduced by RICS to identify and assess the damage to a property because of Japanese Knotweed. It has since been replaced in 2022 with a method that focuses more on the impact of the plant rather than the distance.
Glyphosate-based herbicides can be used to treat Japanese Knotweed and can eradicate it if treated properly across two or three years of repeated treatment.
The impact on the value of a property will depend on the extent of the Japanese Knotweed infestation and how close the plant is to structures.
The presence of the plant alone may not be a reason to avoid buying a property, but it is important to factor in the costs of removing the plant and preventing it from causing future damage to the structure.
Although it is not illegal to have Japanese Knotweed on your property, you may be prosecuted if you allow it to spread off your property and into the wild.
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