Posting for traffic. I need to speak to someone with good knowledge of Environment Agency enforcement please.

[Youaremypenguin]

I need some advice about how to deal with a situation and what is going to happen when I report it.

A neighbour has damaged my property with hazardous material. I need to report it as I need help to sort it out but I'm worried about the cost. Will I get me money back and can the person who did it be prosecuted.

You need to use your house insurance.

Talk to your local councillor

Well it depends on the situation.

Environment agency aren't going to care if your neighbour has chucked bleach over your grass. They might care if they've chucked gallons of woodwormer down your drains.

Neither of these are an option. Its complicated.

Its Japanese knotweed related. I think it's pretty serious but not sure this is why I need to find someone who knows about such things. Like hens teeth!

If there’s been an incident that has impacted the environment then report it:

www.gov.uk/report-an-environmental-incident

Environment Agency prosecutions can take years though so don’t rely on that to get restitution - as PP said, have you got house insurance or some other way of getting legal advice (work benefit etc)?

House insurance may yet cover it. Council can advise on how to deal with JK and licensed contractors.

Does this help at all?

www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading

My knowledge of Japanese Knotweed is limited but I don’t think the EA will get involved if it’s spread from their property to yours - they get involved if it’s being allowed to spread into the wild. Is there the case too, or is it just your property?

Is it the cost of removing the knotweed that you’d like to try and recover?

Totally outing myself here but we need help 🙈! The cost of removal is in the tens of thousands. Its knotweed soil that has been removed from neighbours garden and dumped onto land we own. Its not been done correctly, we need it fixing and we want the person who has admitted to doing it in writing to be held to account.

I would have thought your best bet would be to sue them.

Too expensive to personally sue him. Court costs would be over the cost of removal and no guarantee of getting anything back.

How much does Small Claims court go up to now? EA maybe able to take action on your behalf.

Our best option is EA to place resolution order onto the person who has done it BUT we don't know if they do this. I would love an off the record chat with someone in the know?! Anyone?!

Our best option is EA to place resolution order onto the person who has done it BUT we don't know if they do this. I would love an off the record chat with someone in the know?! Anyone?!

What avenues have you tried already?

Your local authority should be able to advise on enforcement but there are specialist solicitors that also deal with Japanese Knotweed issues.

If you own land do you not have a land agent you can speak to?

@Youaremypenguin

Our best option is EA to place resolution order onto the person who has done it BUT we don't know if they do this. I would love an off the record chat with someone in the know?! Anyone?!

Just ring the environment agency. They have local officers who will be able to advise you.

However the first point if call remains your local authority.

I know someone who works for the EA, he thinks your best course of action may be to contact the local council. If the neighbour knew that there was Japanese Knotweed in the soil they dumped then they have committed an offence. The RHS website has some good information about the plant and how to deal with it.

He's knows exactly what he's done. He's admitted it in written to us and we have witnesses of him doing it! It's malicious! I called the police, they said it was civil. We had a survey done which only recently came back which confirms the issue. Our uncertainty is because it's private land to private land. We have to clear it up somehow. We want it solved but we don't know if we just pay ourselves or would it benefit us to get EA out?

Just contact the Environment Agency and speak to them! They're not scary and are best placed to advise.

I believe it to be a criminal act as well but that doesn't mean it can be dealt with as such. We're more worried about the impact on us. Having to pay for removal of his waste when it's into the tens of thousands makes me mad!

Private land to private land is very different than when it's public land. There isn't much backing for private land owners.

This webpage even has the contact details www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading#how-to-dispose-of-japanese-knotweed

The Environment Agency will prosecute if they feel it is appropriate.

I believe it may be classed as fly tipping. How much soil is there, quantity wise?

Approx 60+tonne. I'm not joking!

OP was it a company that dumped the soil or your neighbour themselves?