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Original poster

Invasive plant on property we are due to purchase

53 replies

Mentalblip · 27/02/2022 11:10

So, we put an offer in on a property last winter. Been to see it 4x since and got a survey. Turns out there’s a load of bamboo (much more than first met the eye) so commissioned a proper bamboo survey.
This revealed over 130sq m of bamboo of the running/spreading variety with significant spread into one neighbours garden and minor but definite spread to another neighbours garden. It’s over 20m from any property thankfully.
quote well into a 5 figure sum for killing it with herbicide (all gardens to prevent it respreading) and then removing it (our garden to be).
Wwyd? Try to renegotiate? Run?
Words of wisdom appreciated 

OP posts:
labyrinthlaziness · 27/02/2022 16:42

I would be very cautious about this, it sounds like a pain. Bamboo is a menace if the wrong type in the wrong place.

Yes at least get the £15k off the price - and still think about it carefully.

labyrinthlaziness · 27/02/2022 16:43

@Mentalblip

If you were asking for money off for this would you write an email or call the agent?

I think that's the plan. Full amount off or we walk

I would email. I would send the relevant info and quote from the surveyor in an email and leave it with them. There is nothing to be gained rom a conversation with an EA in these sort of circs. They will just try to tell you a whole loads of old bollocks.
ukborn · 27/02/2022 16:45

Go through the agent.
I bought a house with mature bamboo down one side. It must have not been the aggressive kind as it didn't spread at all - there was a low stone wall separating it from the grass. My kids loved it - lots you can do with 12 ft canes! When I sold nobody asked about it.
I'd get the sellers to deal with it, but they may not agree to so decide if it's a deal breaker.

OldTinHat · 27/02/2022 16:53

That case cost £100k to fix.

Original poster
Mentalblip · 27/02/2022 18:43

@ukborn

Go through the agent. I bought a house with mature bamboo down one side. It must have not been the aggressive kind as it didn't spread at all - there was a low stone wall separating it from the grass. My kids loved it - lots you can do with 12 ft canes! When I sold nobody asked about it. I'd get the sellers to deal with it, but they may not agree to so decide if it's a deal breaker.
Some bamboo is definitely ok ish... you probably had clumping rather than running. Running is a nightmare, as far as I can gather 🙈
OP posts:
FurierTransform · 27/02/2022 20:00

I'd ask for money off, why not, it's a legit reason.

But I definitely wouldn't let it put me off the house/prevent me proceeding. It's not a big deal to manage at all & definitely not a £15k job - that's a fear-praying quote if there ever was one.

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 27/02/2022 20:11

Eek - sounds grim. Do you know even if the neighbours will give access and allow the bamboo that’s spread to their properties to be treated?

Original poster
Mentalblip · 27/02/2022 20:37

@FurierTransform

I'd ask for money off, why not, it's a legit reason.

But I definitely wouldn't let it put me off the house/prevent me proceeding. It's not a big deal to manage at all & definitely not a £15k job - that's a fear-praying quote if there ever was one.

Hmmm. I guess it's the unknown of it. Given the type it has potential to be a real pain in the ass. It's already affecting an area 132sq m. So tough to know what to do
OP posts:
parietal · 27/02/2022 21:36

definitely ask for all the money off. If you get it treated with weedkiller and keep going with the treatment, you will be able to defeat it. you just have to be persistant.

Crimesean · 27/02/2022 21:44

Unless you're giant pandas, proceed with extreme caution

SeasonFinale · 27/02/2022 21:48

I saw that article too posted above and was going to post same link RUN RUN RUN

www.google.com/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bamboo-plant-causes-devastating-100000-26121495.amp

2bazookas · 27/02/2022 21:51

bamboo stems are hollow. Use loppers to cut the stems to 6 inches then squirt translocating weedkiller down the hollow interior. In a few months when the stumps are dead, they will just dry up and snap off.

There, I've saved you five thousand quid. No digging required.

The straight strong cut stems will be in demand from local gardeners at the allotments, so you could even sell bundles and make some money

Geranium1984 · 27/02/2022 22:03

Qhen buying our property our survey found a little bit of Japanese knot weed and knocked £30k off the price.

TopCatsTopHat · 27/02/2022 22:13

I had bamboo from previous owners, I got rid of myself... They had both clumping and running. With running the roots are really strong but shallow in the soil, so though it's a pain it isn't that difficult to follow each root and lift it up, cos you can pull up the plant and then haul on the root to lift it and follow it along until you find the end and keep doing that until its gone. So for your own garden I'd spend a week doing that.
For your Neighbours, given the l plant escaped and invaded their garden before you bought I would just see if you can make sure you don't inherit the liability. So if you buy now l plants which have invaded before that should not be placed as a liability at your door... Then let the neighbours sort themselves out. If your solicitor can confirm that's possible all you've got to do is clear yours and then keep on top of it. I think dandelions are harder to get rid of than bamboo.

MMBaranova · 27/02/2022 23:11

There's slow and containable bamboo and there's off it goes bamboo.

My presumption would be against the latter, but if entirely in your property it can be attacked and a vertical barrier put in the ground that it can not get through or under.

My expertise here is just helping an uncle who has retired and seems to be more of a human herbicide and plant wrestler than a stereotypical retiree.

If neighbouring properties are involved, I would be concerned about liability and, if that is not an issue, the possible hell of a neighbour acting up over your triffids.

RippleQueen · 27/02/2022 23:46

It’s not just the cost of removing the bamboo. It’s presence will likely reduce the value of the property too. I would not just accept a reduction in price to cover removal. I would run as it’s a lot of hassle.
Have had experience of Japanese knotweed.

ChateauMargaux · 28/02/2022 06:50

You could ask for it to be rectified with a guarantee, before you buy the property.. but I am not sure how valuable a guarantee would be and whether there would be sufficient time to ensure that it had been adequately rectified before you buy. It would have to be a special property for me to run this risk.. we did.. and while I don't regret buying the property, the bamboo had resulted in a lot of work and will never truly be gone. The roots are into the neighbours garden, entwined in the hedges that border our garden, in the walls and steps and have invaded the lawn. Short of demolishing large parts of our garden, we will be watching this spread and chasing after it, for as long as we live here.

pilates · 28/02/2022 07:08

I would withdraw from the transaction and look for another property. It sounds like a headache.

Magstermay · 28/02/2022 09:43

Suspect this is the same link as above www.idealhome.co.uk/news/bamboo-growing-through-hampshire-house-300991

There are different types of bamboo, some can be easy to contain but this so sounds very invasive so I would ask for the money off or walk personally. You’d also want to know the neighbours are going to agree to treatment otherwise it’ll spread back from their properties.

TopCatsTopHat · 28/02/2022 11:09

Oh my. 😱😱
I now consider myself very fortunate the variety I had didn't do this.
So I suppose step one in the decision is what variety bamboo is it exactly. Cos I had running bamboo but it didn't do this (or I caught it early enough), so there must be running bamboo and Running Bamboo!

gogohm · 28/02/2022 11:22

Bamboo isn't a problem, had it for years and easy to keep in check. Now blackberries they are a problem!

Mydogisagentleman · 28/02/2022 14:04

Bastard bamboo.
We have a patch of it, it’s going to the immediate neighbour, and under the back fence and over a drainage ditch and about 100 metres into the woods behind.
When we moved in, I got the loppers out and took about 20 lengths to my parents for them to use as plant supports.
7 pieces took root in their garden. It’s the plant that you can’t kill

numberthirtytwowindsorgardens · 28/02/2022 16:05

What weedkiller would you use to get rid of bamboo? I'm keen to remove a patch. Who plants bamboo in beds?!

DetailMouse · 28/02/2022 16:16

I don't think it would be sensible to ask the current owners to do it. There's no way to know it's been done properly.