knotweed

[Missdjcabz]

We found out yesterday that there is japanese knot weed in neighbouring properties and in the field behind the house we are buying which has put a hold on the mortgage, realistically what can we do? Its not on what would be our property but we love this house and really want it, we have notified the council requesting they inform land owners and we let the neighbour know, if they are unwilling to do anything do you think its reasonable to offer to help with expenses of initial treatment? The bank says they only require proof of treatment being started so we could work the rest out later?
Has anyone had experience of knotweed?

[howtorebuild]

As it is so established in others land, I would back out.

[gamerchick]

Yeah from what I've read I would back out as well.

[lalalonglegs]

You would have to be very generous to offer to help with expenses, eradicating jkw can costs many thousands and it will spread like Billy-oh in open ground such as the field. Find out how keen the LA are to help with/enforce eradication because it sounds as if the neighbours aren't too bothered .

[Waxlyrically]

We have it on the allotment next to our house which we also rent. We regularly cut the stems once they are large enough and pour a weed killer into the hollow stump that' this leaves. You have to be careful not to dig in the area and to dry out and burn the stems you cut though. There is a big underground rhizome that you have to kill which takes years. If you dig into it and split it a new plant will form. After 3 years of doing the above ours is no longer spreading and is receding but its not yet completely eradicated.

[TremoloGreen]

Enforcing neighbours to do things that cost lots money, especially where those neighbours are non-residential (field owner) is a massive headache and the sort of thing that will turn a dream house into a nightmare house (bitter experience). Do yourself a favour and look for something else.

[Whatevva]

It is a good time of the year to use glyphosate on it as the plants are starting to die back and nutrients being returned to the roots (and hopefully the glyphosate).

[eltsihT]

No real advice but here are some recipes you can make with knotweed

www.richmondlandtrust.org/docs/garlic.pdf

[Whatevva]

It is probably just a mortgage problem. If you are likely to sell up within a few years, then it would resurface with the next buyers.

If you are going to stay there forever, then a look around for another mortgage provider might be worthwhile.

I agree that you are probably going to get nowhere trying to get other people to deal with it on there land, certainly in the short term.

[jevoudrais]

Unless you know you want to live in this house forever, I would back off too. There are so many houses not affected by JK that even if one had it in the past, I would be inclined to walk on by that too.

[Spickle]

Is there an eradication programme in place with any of the neighbours? It can take about 5 years to eradicate knotweed completely, but there are recommended programmes to deal with it. If the houses nearby are following the programme, you may find the mortgage lender willing to offer a mortgage but I do think the sellers should be proactive in at least putting an eradication programme in place before exchange and completion at no cost to yourself at the outset.