Buy a House with Japanese Knotwood in the garden?

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Not much of it showing at the moment

No way.

Hell no.
Unless you have several £1000s to get rid of it?
Or £1000s to repair the damage it causes?

consultations.rics.org/consult.ti/japaneseknotweed/view?objectId=1228500

You may struggle to get insurance and a mortgage if there's Japanese knotweed.

Not unless there was a massively compelling reason and a massive discount on the asking price. it is absolutely a beast and needs professional treatment to get rid and keep it away.

I seem to remember it being something the surveyor looks for and it will stop you getting a mortgage

Nonono

You will not get a mortgage or buildings insurance for a house with JKW in the garden.

Nooooo

No. Run a mile.

It's your responsibility to get rid of it and it can easily cost you £10,000.

You won't get a mortgage either.

There is much hysteria over knotweed and its threat is grossly exaggerated. It needs to be cut and sprayed at least twice a year and can be eliminated relatively easily.

More damage is done by plants like ivy. If concrete is thin, some plants will proliferate - that can be buddleia or russian vine, just as easily.

Many of the knotweed horror stories are urban myth and it's really good business for removal companies to promote them. Surveyors and mortgage lenders have bought in to the hysteria.

Japanese knotweed has been around for the best part of 200 years and has yet to take over any homes or cities.

OK Benny I get what you say but you'd still be saddled with mortgage and insurance issues and high costs to keep it under control/remove. So a house with known Japanese Knotweed is not a good idea for your average person.

Unless it was a massive patch it wouldn't bother me that much if I really liked the house. As PP said it's fairly easy to eradicate. there are plants that would stop me buying a house but JKW isn't one of them.

If you need a mortgage ask your mortgage provider if it's a problem.

I agree changedtoday, but only because the mortgage/insurance companies have bought into the complete hysteria and so for most people, it rules out buying properties with knotweed if it has been picked up on the survey.

If it was in my garden, I would eliminate it - job done. It is not a triffid.

For me, it would depend on the circumstances. If it was declared then there's a posibility it's being treated so I'd have to look into that before I decided. If it was that I'd noticed it and the sellers had been unaware of it/the issues, then I'd worry that it was more widespread than it is at the moment, as it's not really a growth time at the moment. I'm not on the "no, never ever" side as it is treatable but as people rightly said, it depends on what your mortgage provider says.

We almost bought a house with it. We did end up pulling out but only because we knew it was a short term house and it would scare buyers off when we came to sell. Essentially as long as it's not really close to the house and how extensive the problem is I would buy if it was a 'forever' home. (With a discount)

We found a company that was reccomened by our solicitor who was happy to deal with it for a very reasonable price (who also warned us about companies with massive fees riding on the general hysteria of Japanese knotweed).

Basically it's fine... It's a plant, an invasive one but still just a plant!
Mortgage lenders have started to lend on houses with knotweed.

Also it's really common all over the UK, especially on paths and such like. So if there is a path or open land behind your garden you could end up with knotweed in your garden.
Research it and look at all the facts and don't just listen to people who will tell you it will eat your house in a day!