Ask The Agent.
Richards is an independent Estate Agents in Corfe Mullen, specialising in residential properties for sale and rent as well as property management in Corfe Mullen, Wimborne and the surrounding areas.
Jason Spiers MNAEA, the owner of Richards Estate Agents, has been an agent for over 25 years.
Let us know any
questions you may have about moving and he’ll answer them for you.
Hello Jason,
I want to sell my house but have just been told I have Japanese knotweed in my front garden. A friend who’s just moved said this could be a big problem. Should I be concerned? Mr Constance
Hello Mr Constance, In a word, yes.
Introduced into the UK in the middle of the 19th century, Japanese knotweed is today one of the most – if not the most – invasive plant species in the country, capable of doing all sorts of serious damage to buildings. Plant-wise, in other words, we’re talking about Britain’s public enemy number one.
A few years ago the Government was forced to admit defeat in the fi ght against it, conceding that it would be too expensive to deal with on a nationwide basis. That announcement followed decades of Government attempts to destroy it – including a rather laughable initiative involving the release of thousands of Japanese knotweed-loving insects into the environment, in the hope that they
would contain the menace. Sadly, they proved so unsuited to the British climate that they all promptly died!
If you have discovered knotweed in your garden (and you are thinking of selling) then I would strongly advise you to take the necessary steps to eradicate the stuff before you put your home on the market. Any surveyor who spots it will almost certainly mention the fact in their report, and mortgage lenders are understandably wary of it – so you could even end up losing your buyer as a result.
The good news is Japanese knotweed is not in fact a completely unsolvable problem. Specialist eradication fi rms can certainly get rid of the stuff, using powerful chemicals. When they have carried out their treatment, they will issue a certifi cate that you can pass on to your buyer proving that you have dealt with the issue.
Whatever you do, don’t try digging it up. Like bindweed, Japanese knotweed is perfectly capable of regenerating itself from a tiny sliver of root, so it is virtually impossible to get rid of in this way. In any case, all parts of this plant, and any soil contaminated with it, are offi cially classed as controlled waste. This means that it must be properly disposed of according to the appropriate Environment Agency regulations. Chuck it over your garden fence, and you could be in big trouble!
I hope you only have a small amount that can be quickly dealt with and I would contact a specialist company without delay.
Good luck Jason
Ask The Agent is brought to you by Richards Estate Agents in Corfe Mullen.
If you have a question for Jason, please email:
jason@richardsestateagents.co.uk or feel free to pick up the phone and call us on (01202) 602121.
48 To advertise, please contact 01202 657317 or email
harriet@broadstonelink.co.uk
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