New build and Japanese Knotweed.

[Shotinthedark2022]

I wondered if anyone has any experience on buying a new build with japanese knotwood,and Horse tail on the site.
I reserved a property a month ago(bought off plan).They have been pushing for me to exchange.I have now found out this problem exists.The JKW is quite away from my plot.But the HT is running along the frony of my boudary.They are saying that the HT has been treated,but the JKW is still being treated(apparantly it takes a few years to erradicateit) I am concerned that it may come back.I have also heared it can devalue a property.or make it difficult to resell in the future.
Really wondering if i should pull out of the purchase.What would you do .Has anyone any experience?

all I know about it is that when I was selling mortgages we’d give a zero valuation for Japanese knotweed.

Honestly? I would pull out.

Sales will say anything to get you to buy.
If you have to move anytime, I think but not sure, you may have to declare it when you move.

None if us know what the future holds so you may need to move before it’s entirely eradicated.

I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole.

my aunt had an absolutely hellish time trying to sell her house as there was Japanese knotweed in the canal near her home. There were so many delays and overall very stressful, she eventually did manage to sell in the end but it had to be treated which took a while. It may be worth asking if there are any other plots that would be unaffected to be on the safe side

Can you ask a local surveyor for their opinion? Personally, I would pull out. Both are a nightmare and will continue to be.

JK probably easier to treat than HT which is the devils own weed
and impossible to eradicate.

I’d pull out.

I'd walk away. The developers can let the house, while they treat the JKW, and sell it once it's certified clear.

JKW is not easy to get rid of.

I agree - pull out. You are worrying about buying it so that’s exactly what buyers will think when you sell on. Sorry x

Horse tail is the work of the devil

Just no no no

Wouldn't touch it with a bargepole

You will never get rid of horsetail. I would pull out and I bought a listed building with no surveys!

New build developers will promise the world in the sales process. As soon as the sale is through everything changes. I do not regret buying a new build but getting them to finish jobs they committed to is like trying to draw blood from a stone. If there is a problem like this WALK AWAY NOW.

Walk away. It's not worth the risk or headaches.

I found horse tail after buying, seller didn't declare and actively hid it. 10 years and thousands of pounds later it's still there. HT is just below JKW on the hierarchy of shitty plants that wreck your house and land.

Thank you for your replies.My gut feeling is to walk away.They continue to pester me about exchange,and even got me to pay a deposit for extras,which my solicitor has now told me i shouldn't have paid untill exchange.So i am now wondering if i will get that back if i pull out.It was a few thousand.
The developers are a large company.I have noticed though,that since i reserved my plot about a month ago,they havn;t managed to get many more reserved.

The only way that we got rid of HR was by digging up our front garden and basically replacing everything. (We had to anyway)

5 years of HT - over 500 of them in the end in a tiny mid terrace garden. They are in several neighbours' gardens as well.

Whoops HR should be HT 🤔

Most developers say that money paid for extras is non-refundable so be prepared for a fight and / or a disappointment.

I’m relatively sure the developer will eradicate the problem, otherwise they are stuck with an estate of houses they cannot sell.
This can be sorted out with some legal contract which should be coming for free from the developers, which would allow legal recourse. What does your solicitor say? What usually happens in these situations? It cannot be unique.
Definitely do not exchange before it’s clarified.

Whether or not you should should be buying a new build and thousands up front for extras is another topic.

It's an absolute buyers market at the moment. Prices are dropping all around us. We have horse tail I've been trying to get rid of it for 17 years!

Jkw can be treated effectively with spray and injection but it takes a few years. HT I have no experience of.

If they're not digging either out properly don't go near the development. They should be offering at least a ten year treatment insurance on both.

I'd still look elsewhere. It's a headache

Thank you for your replies.If the HT is got rid off,but it is in a neighbours garden,would it come back on my plot? This is what i am concerned about.I don't wnt to be checking continually for regrowth.

I think some posters are being a bit dramatic. I work in remediation of sites for new build development and there is Japanese knotweed and horsetail in almost every site. It will be being treated as part of the planning process.

You can't treat horsetail. The only thing you can do is completely remove the soil to a certain depth and then replace it. Japanese knotweed wouldn't put me off as that can be treated.

Why isn't JKW and HT declared at the point of reservation though,whenall of the other maps regarding boundaries,drainage etc is shown to thhe prospective buyer.At least then one can make an informed decision,instead of waiting till money has been paid for extras and almost exchanged.When i sold my property,i had to declare if there was any JKW on the sellers form.It does seem a bit underhand to me.

It is underhand. Unless they put in writing that they take full and ongoing responsibility for eradicated/ managing this then I wouldn't go ahead.