Any one know if this could be Japanese Knotweed? (Inc pics)

[stayhomeclub]

Hi,

I'm currently in the process of purchasing a new property and think I have found Japanese Knotweed in the field behind the house. The seller ticked the 'don't know' response to the Knotweed question on the sellers form.

Behind the house is an open unmaintained field which is edged by houses and primarily used by dog walkers etc. I was walking my dog yesterday and saw this. It is probably about 60m from the house. Our survey is this week so I will raise this with them also.

What do you think? I think the land is council owned but I am fairly risk adverse and don't want to take on a property with significant risk attached.

Definitely get it checked out, the surveyor may well have not looked past the boundary. A house with knotweed is pretty much I in mortgageable with it. It's truly awful stuff. Sorry I can't be more specific on defiantly identifying it 🤔

Yes that does look like knotweed to me.

Yes, I think so.

Looks like it. I only discovered recently that knotweed is what I grew up calling sally rhubarb. Our local woods were full of the stuff.

That definitely looks like Japanese knotweed to me. We have it on the railway behind our house. Terrible stuff.

Yes looks like knotweed to me.
It might be being treated but it looks like there is new growth so it's not being treated very effectively.
Try your council tomorrow as if it's their land they should be treating it - if they know about it.
It sounds like it's quite a bit away from your potential new property so it might not be an issue at present, although it could be in time if it's not treated properly.

Yes I really thought it looked like Japanese Knotweed. I found found this patch because it's by the path so I'm not sure if it might be elsewhere on the site. It looks like someone has chopped down the stems but there is lots of new regrowth coming under the path footway and on the other side of the path to this bunch.

Overall this is making me very nervous about the purchase!

I also think it's JK. It can spread very quickly. I'd also flag it up to the owner of the land.

Obviously we will have to notify our mortgage company and I'll speak to the surveyor.

I think we may not proceed but might this have an effect on the valuation?

Japanese Knotweed Identification is relatively easy as it’s quite a noticeable plant. It also has some key features throughout the year, but late summer/early autumn is the best time to check for it because that’s when it’s at its’ most obvious:
Autumn: The plant will have reached its maximum height with some canes reaching over 2-3m, arching over at the top and with a noticeable zig-zag arrangement of large, heart-shaped leaves all the way to the end of each stem. The current years stems will be bright green with purple/red speckles all over (a little bit like rhubarb) and obvious red bands where each ‘node’ or joint appears (a bit like bamboo). The top surface of each stem will have a frothy explosion of tiny cream coloured flowers in long tassel shapes which are very attractive to insects.
Winter: All the yellowing autumn leaves will have fell off, leaving the brown, dried stems looking quite noticeable due to their height and zig-zag growth pattern.
Spring: In amongst all the dry, dead stems from the previous year, the new shoots are relatively easy to spot because they are bright red/purple as they push through the surface. They grow incredibly rapidly – if you go back a few days later, the stems will have shot up! As they get taller, the heart-shaped leaves unfurl all the way up the stem.
Summer: What was a bare patch of ground with the previous years dead stems will now be a dense thicket of bright green stems speckled with purple streaks – just like an enormous patch of rhubarb where nothing else can grow (except for a few nettles which seem to thrive anywhere?!)

In short, yes. It is Japanese knotweed.

Definitely JK. Good eating though if you can be 100% certain it's not been treated. If you do eat some, don't put the waste in the compost, best off burnt to stop it spreading.

I wouldn't buy if too close to the border, it's a bugger to kill off.

If it's more than 7m from your house it's unlikely to affect your mortgage.
We don't have to report to the bank if it's less than 7m from the house outside the property's boundaries.

Thanks all. The patch I've found is 60m away but I only found it by chance by a path. The rest of the site is under thick undergrowth so I've no idea if it's lurking in other closer parts of the site.

Even at that distance I have some concerns about long term spread and potential resale issues. I've had a 'difficult' property before and was looking forward to something nice and straightforward!

It is Japanese knotweed.
But I think you are being too cautious. It is everywgere. So if it is in the locality of where you want to live, It will be near other houses you might want to buy too. You are unlikely to find a perfect problem free house.
Japanese knotweed can be killed - with effort.