Discussion
Having agreed to purchase a ground floor maisonette with a small garden our solicitor has informed us that the seller has made some vague reference to 'knotweed'.
Our solicitor has asked for more detail before we go any further.
At this stage we have no idea if this issue has been previously dealt with and is no longer a problem or weather it's still cause for concern.
My head is telling me to walk away.....
Any experiences of this would be useful .
TIA
Our solicitor has asked for more detail before we go any further.
At this stage we have no idea if this issue has been previously dealt with and is no longer a problem or weather it's still cause for concern.
My head is telling me to walk away.....
Any experiences of this would be useful .
TIA
Esquire said:
Having agreed to purchase a ground floor maisonette with a small garden our solicitor has informed us that the seller has made some vague reference to 'knotweed'.
Our solicitor has asked for more detail before we go any further.
At this stage we have no idea if this issue has been previously dealt with and is no longer a problem or weather it's still cause for concern.
My head is telling me to walk away.....
Any experiences of this would be useful .
TIA
Yes.Our solicitor has asked for more detail before we go any further.
At this stage we have no idea if this issue has been previously dealt with and is no longer a problem or weather it's still cause for concern.
My head is telling me to walk away.....
Any experiences of this would be useful .
TIA
The neighbour of one of our rental properties had an impressive knotweed garden. Our ground worker, with farmer grade weed killer, killed it for him.
It left me with the belief that JKW is a bogeyman that in reality isn't THAT much of an issue.
It most definately is a problem, and quite a major one for lots of banks who will not provide a mortgage against any property with it identified.
Honestly, I'd be firstly asking the owner what action/treatment plan they have in place for it, as there are companies who will guarantee its removal (subject to certain stipulations, such as you can touch it, cut it, prune it, etc, etc, whilst they are treating it) and will provide a guarantee for the works which appeases a lot of the banks. If they come back saying there is nothing in place, my honest opinion would be to walk away as you'll certainly have a significantly harder time selling it on should it still be there.
I only know as build an apartment block myself which I rented out the individual units in, and somewhere between 2009 and 2015 knotweed got into the communal lawns at the rear. I found out about it and got a company involved who had a 3 year (I think) treatment plan which provided a guarantee. In that 3 year period though I tried to sell a couple of apartments and it was utterley painful as the banks surveyors would show up, notice it, and half the banks removed offers in principles, and most of the rest of the buyers pulled out. I eventually sold them all once the treatment was complete.
Honestly, I'd be firstly asking the owner what action/treatment plan they have in place for it, as there are companies who will guarantee its removal (subject to certain stipulations, such as you can touch it, cut it, prune it, etc, etc, whilst they are treating it) and will provide a guarantee for the works which appeases a lot of the banks. If they come back saying there is nothing in place, my honest opinion would be to walk away as you'll certainly have a significantly harder time selling it on should it still be there.
I only know as build an apartment block myself which I rented out the individual units in, and somewhere between 2009 and 2015 knotweed got into the communal lawns at the rear. I found out about it and got a company involved who had a 3 year (I think) treatment plan which provided a guarantee. In that 3 year period though I tried to sell a couple of apartments and it was utterley painful as the banks surveyors would show up, notice it, and half the banks removed offers in principles, and most of the rest of the buyers pulled out. I eventually sold them all once the treatment was complete.
Hobo said:
It most definately is a problem, and quite a major one for lots of banks who will not provide a mortgage against any property with it identified.
Honestly, I'd be firstly asking the owner what action/treatment plan they have in place for it, as there are companies who will guarantee its removal (subject to certain stipulations, such as you can touch it, cut it, prune it, etc, etc, whilst they are treating it) and will provide a guarantee for the works which appeases a lot of the banks. If they come back saying there is nothing in place, my honest opinion would be to walk away as you'll certainly have a significantly harder time selling it on should it still be there.
I only know as build an apartment block myself which I rented out the individual units in, and somewhere between 2009 and 2015 knotweed got into the communal lawns at the rear. I found out about it and got a company involved who had a 3 year (I think) treatment plan which provided a guarantee. In that 3 year period though I tried to sell a couple of apartments and it was utterley painful as the banks surveyors would show up, notice it, and half the banks removed offers in principles, and most of the rest of the buyers pulled out. I eventually sold them all once the treatment was complete.
Great info many tks. Honestly, I'd be firstly asking the owner what action/treatment plan they have in place for it, as there are companies who will guarantee its removal (subject to certain stipulations, such as you can touch it, cut it, prune it, etc, etc, whilst they are treating it) and will provide a guarantee for the works which appeases a lot of the banks. If they come back saying there is nothing in place, my honest opinion would be to walk away as you'll certainly have a significantly harder time selling it on should it still be there.
I only know as build an apartment block myself which I rented out the individual units in, and somewhere between 2009 and 2015 knotweed got into the communal lawns at the rear. I found out about it and got a company involved who had a 3 year (I think) treatment plan which provided a guarantee. In that 3 year period though I tried to sell a couple of apartments and it was utterley painful as the banks surveyors would show up, notice it, and half the banks removed offers in principles, and most of the rest of the buyers pulled out. I eventually sold them all once the treatment was complete.
I'll see what i get by way of update from the solicitors but my gut is still to walk away.
Peace of mind counts for a lot given my plan isnt to keep the property indefinitely
Louis Balfour said:
The neighbour of one of our rental properties had an impressive knotweed garden. Our ground worker, with farmer grade weed killer, killed it for him.
It left me with the belief that JKW is a bogeyman that in reality isn't THAT much of an issue.
I agree with this, but the banks/building sociries have an irrational fear of it.It left me with the belief that JKW is a bogeyman that in reality isn't THAT much of an issue.
A tenanted neighbouring terrace property had his whole back garden over run with it and it grew under the stone wall into our properties back garden. The landlord was not bothered so I sprayed both gardens a couple of times with an Industrial Strength Glyphosate Weed Killer.
This was several years ago and it has never regrown (but apparently sometimes a far weaker regrowth can occur which would need another spraying.
Approx £50 for the product or pay a specialist £1500 who will guarantee to eradicate it. Get this knocked of the purchase price or walk away if it scares you.
Esquire said:
Having agreed to purchase a ground floor maisonette with a small garden our solicitor has informed us that the seller has made some vague reference to 'knotweed'.
I would get the vague reference made precise.It's like saying 'It might have rising damp'.
But generally I'm with L. Balfour - it's a plant, it ain't gonna kill you. If you want the house, use it as a negotiating tool.
You need details.
It is treated by digging it out and then putting in a barrier.
"Weed killer" will "kill it" but not the rizomes that are below the the ground which keep coming back.
The guarantee is insurance based and pays to get rid of it again. I would check in detail who the insurance company is should you proceed.
I would say it comes down to the scale of it and how long ago it was treated without coming back.
It is treated by digging it out and then putting in a barrier.
"Weed killer" will "kill it" but not the rizomes that are below the the ground which keep coming back.
The guarantee is insurance based and pays to get rid of it again. I would check in detail who the insurance company is should you proceed.
I would say it comes down to the scale of it and how long ago it was treated without coming back.
langy said:
I would personally walk away.
I've had to deal with it on a couple of sites and it's not as easy as putting weed killer on it. We have had to completely remove it, dig a huge hole, fully line said hole and bury it. Otherwise it's off to a suitable licensed waste facility....
Thanks for all the above comments. I've had to deal with it on a couple of sites and it's not as easy as putting weed killer on it. We have had to completely remove it, dig a huge hole, fully line said hole and bury it. Otherwise it's off to a suitable licensed waste facility....
Having discussed it last night we have this morning sent an email to withdraw our offer.
The purchase was for our daughter and therefore I don't want her to have to deal with any issues going forward and also we don't need a massive headache when it's decided the property needs to be sold.
Had we been informed of the knotweed issue in advance of making an offer ( especially over the asking) we'd have likely walked away or at least offered no more than the asking price.
I did originally think it was well priced so maybe the knotweed issue was the reason.
Thanks for all that have contributed to this thread.
Cheers
Very wise, otherwise you might have been faced with a situation like this: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07qbstb
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