To expect a 5% reduction in asking price because we found japanese knotweed?

[DontBeNastyAveAPasty]

TLDR - survey brought up Japanese Knotweed and we don't know if we're unreasonable asking for a reduction on asking price

We're in the process of buying our first home...a tiny Victorian mid-terrace in desperate need of a refurb. It was on for a fair price and the sellers estate accepted a slightly lower offer based on the fact we are FTB's and local to the area.

Whilst the survey brought up all the things you'd expect of an old home...damp, woodworm in the attic and a small chimney leak....it has found a very small Japanese Knotweed plant on the border of the property, about 6m away from the house.

The sale is going through via power of attorney so there is no money to sort issues prior to contract, so we have proposed reduction to the asking price of 5% so we can sort the issue (which we are happy to do). The estate agent has yet to get back to us two days later where before they were very responsive, now I'm wondering if we've gone too far with the negotiations!

The long and short of it is the lender will only agree our mortgage with a treatment plan in place, so it's us having to front the cost of a JK survey and start of treatment before we've even bought the house. It's a hefty amount of money but we honestly adore this house and can really see it becoming a beautiful family home. Surely without agreeing to a reduction the property is essentially un-mortgageable, and therefore would likely need to be auctioned for a much lower price?

I guess I'm mainly looking to hear from people who have both bought and sold properties with JK. Was the property value drastically reduced? Was the cost of removal more than you thought? I know it's not the demon that older generations believed it to be...but I also know it's not to be taken lightly.

TIA

I am certain that JK can be extremely difficult and long winded to get rid of, regardless of the comments.

(Which is why mortgage providers concern themselves with it.

I would take specialist advice and base negotiations on that. However, the horror stories about JK would be enough to put me off buying altogether regardless.

I thought it was really common as well, I didn't think it was that serious an issue. I've not bought (or more to the point sold) a house for the past 20 years though, so I don't know what's on the forms now and what scares people off.

I’m a surveyor and a building engineer. People hear ‘Japanese Knotweed’ and freak out.

It’s really not usually a massive problem.

A small patch will be easy to remove. I’d suggest a reduction of 2k, which will more than cover it. If you’re inclined, you can easily remove it yourself.

YYY to every word of this.

You can ask for a reduction for the cost of treating it, or better still ask them to pay for it if possible? If you're planning to stay in the house for a few years you won't even have to mention it when you sell.

The attitude to JK is ridiculous really, it won't make your house fall down and it can be gotten rid of perfectly effectively. Houses get sold with far worse problems than JK. RICS specialists have been recommending that mortgage lenders calm down about it, it really shouldn't be disrupting house sales. The current rules are silly because it means if you're a seller and you find some, it'll just encourage you to chop it down (spreading rhizomes and making it worse) to hide it from the surveyor/buyer and by the time it pops up again you have plausible deniability.

And believe me I know what a problem it can be - we had a bit of a 'mare selling our last place as DH had treated a single stand of JK himself a few years previously and it was just on the cusp of the time when we didn't have to declare it (and we couldn't cover up as the upstairs neighbour knew about it). Luckily our buyer was an experienced investor who was a cash buyer and didn't think it was a big deal!

I think 5% is reasonable to cover the cost of treatment and for the added aggravation of dealing with it.

I would walk away, or at the least knock 20% due to resale value and so I could sleep soundly at night.

😱

I’d only buy it if you intend to live there for a long time.

I deal with it at walk and one plant 6m away wouldn't put me off. Check they have not tried to disguise it in the garden though.

Your attitude is sensible, shame to see so many others still so unenlightened.
We bought a property with JK. This was 10+ years ago when hysteria was high.
It was right up against the house. Thankfully we didn't need a mortgage. Treatment plan had been started. Cost shared between the estate of the vendor and the house next door owned by a government organisation who had employed national experts to advise them
The house was in an excellent location and without the reduction for the JK we could not have afforded it so after lots of research we took a chance.
Treatment was successful. We were given a guarantee.
By the time we sold it attitudes had changed and we made a good profit enabling us to buy our dream house.
Go for it

Not 5%, 50% reduction for knot weed

So it's not even actually in your garden? How does that work if it is on someone else's land?

I would check that out and if the property owners of the land where it is aren't in agreement, then I would walk away

Japanese knotweed is hard to get rid of but is not the evil plant everyone here seems to think. Buddleia is more damaging. I bought a property with a couple sprigs. There was a treatment plan in place. Sprayed twice and had been checked a couple more times and there's a ten year guarantee. It hasn't reappeared in three years.
As treatment is £2k I wouldn't give you 5% off. But if they are desperate they may take it.

Reduction in price to the cost of getting rid of it or the current owners commit to removal costs until 100% removed and you'll pay asking price. I'd be more concerned about bamboo these days, at least there are ways to be rid of knotweed.

Absolutely wouldn't bother me.

Part of my garden has it and I suspect previous owner had a treatment and didn't declare to me when the house was sold. I have far more invasive growing plants and I spray any weak growing knotweed when and if I see it.

If you have a garden, you have to put effort into looking after it.

Thanks everyone for your input :) certainly eye opening!

Reading through people's experiences has certainly relaxed me a little with any of the reservations I may have had about buying the house....it's one thing being told by specialists 'it'll be fine' but it's awesome to see so much IRL experience dealing with it and coming out okay the other side.

Certainly think I shouldn't be so quick to walk away if they don't agree....as some-one else mentioned earlier, it's a chance to purchase the house of our dreams in an area we love without the price tag of surrounding properties....soon as the JW is gone, we'll be left with hopefully our dream house!