Ivy on my "new" house

[TheSilveryPussycat]

Moved in in April. I've got ivy on my back walls, keep reading horror stories but would like to keep it. Atm it's going berserk though.

Survey mentioned no problems on those walls. If I do keep it, how should I maintain it, and when?

I suspect you're all going to tell me to KTB (kill the bastard), aren't you?

[shovetheholly]

If it's not causing any problems internally, and you like it - then keep it! (Just keep a bit of an eye out for any damp problems over the winter - any climber close to the house can cause this. Ivy has a bad rep because of its aerial roots - people argue that it 'pulls out' mortar between bricks, but in reality it can only do this if the mortar is already all crumbly. Which is why lots of people don't have any problems with it).

Cut it back hard in early spring and it should stay looking nice for years (sometimes if you don't cut it, it can go a bit dead at the bottom). I'd pull out all the bits that have reverted (where it's gone green) to preserve the lovely yellow variegation, otherwise these may take over and you'll have a more boring green-only plant. Make sure it stays well away from your roof, too!