Japanese knotweed/ first time buyer

[Matlis]

Looking for advise.

Im a first time buyer & Ive recently received my home buyer survey report back and Japanese knotweed has been noted. It’s 20m from the back wall boundary, in the farmers field.

should I be worried?

TIA

Get photos, make sure it really is knotweed. Are you saying it isn't actually on your property?

No on the farmers land. A lot of people are telling me to pull out of the purchase. Just very unsure what to do.

I wouldn't worry. I've had a garden with knotweed in it and kept it under control, by trenching once a year and this isn't even in your garden. It's not like it's a triffid.

Do you need a mortgage? What do they say? I'd do it for a forever home, but if you're planning to sell in a few years it will put (many) other buyers off

I do have a mortgage offer approved. This won’t be my forever home, more to get on the ladder and sell after a couple of years. I don’t think this is going to be a good move :(

I pulled out of a house where Japanese knotweed had been treated about the same distance away. It's incredibly difficult to get rid of and will put future buyers off. You might struggle to get a mortgage if it's not treated as well. I wouldn't risk it, even if it doesn't start affecting the property you may feel anxious about it in your first home. Not worth the stress.

I wouldn't buy it if you're planning to move at some point. It will wipe value from your house and you'll struggle to sell it.

I don't think it's worth the risk

We had JKW about the same distance from our boundary, in a farmer's field at the back of our old house. When we sold I was honest with the estate agent, who said as it wasn't within our boundary we didn't have to disclose it, so we didn't, and the house seller's survey only asks if there's JKW within your boundary.

If the weed encroaches on your property the person whose land it has spread from is liable. So the farmer would be liable to deal with it.

Having dealt with it before, I'd be wary, but it wouldn't put me off completely in your shoes.

If you love the house I'd start with asking my solicitor to contact the farmer and find out if they plan on treating it.

And as I said in my first post, make absolutely sure that is what was seen. Presumably they didn't go into the farmer field so if it was jsut viewed from the boundary of your potential house then they could have misidentfied it. Did the survey provide a photo?

Run for the hills unless it is a forever home and a big garden. I was pretty sure you have to notify home insurance and the mortgage company ?

I’ve had a couple of friends buy and subsequently sell houses with JKW closeby. One struggled to sell. One sold fine and three years later was sought after by the new buyers for financial compensation (which is still going through now; they’re sure they didn’t do anything wrong but the whole thing is still upsetting).

Absolutely do not buy. Can grow rapidly and write off a home. Insurance generally won’t cover damage or threat by knotweed. Surprised you have mortgage approved with knotweed on the radar.

We walked away from a great house due to a similar issue with JKW. I just felt that it would be an anxiety that I didn't want to have. I have seen too many others have a terrible time with it.

I had no idea that could happen 3 years down the line!