Japanese Knotweed found on House Survey

[Biscuit2027]

Hi all!

I’m hoping for some advice from anyone that has gone through the same situation! We’re in the middle of buying a property and new Japanese Knotweed was found in our survey which appears to have come from the property next door. It looks like our mortgage offer will still stand based on the treatment plan put in place by the seller.

We now need to negotiate a reduction on house price based on the effect the knotweed could have on the re-sell value. What sort of % reduction would you accept?

thanks!

I would abandon the purchase. Not worth the hassle and risk of the plan failing.

Run!

Without next door doing anything it will just come back?

Wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole.

I’d pull out

Either
The knotweed will be dealt with in which case there is no reason for a discount

Or it won't in which case you better run away because it could seriously damage the house long before you come to resell

Unless the house is something special, I would probably back out. Not because the knotweed is really such a threat to the property, because if you know it is there you can manage it easily enough, but because people get hysterical about it and if you ever plan to sell, that is your problem.

Also it has come from next door, but where did theirs come from, and how is that being managed?

My husband works for a company that removes Japanese Knotweed. He's just said unless they dig it out/excavate it out BEFORE you buy it then run a mile. He's said it's not your responsibility at all so if you decide to carry on with the purchase make sure they are dealing with removal. IF you do get a survey yourself he's said there are companies that will charge but also ones that don't, don't pay for a survey, get a free one!
He's said personally he'd pull out the purchase.

I disagree with this. Even if the knotweed is dealt with 100%, future buyers may never believe it won't recur. The fact that a property has had knotweed impairs the value going forward.

You need to look forward to when you want to sell it on again. The discount would need to be very heavy for me to consider buying if I were in your shoes.

Unfortunately it mostly does recur.

Agree with everyone else. You might get z reduction but you'll never sell, or sell for z big loss. Run!

I am reading zees in ze 'Allo 'Allo accent.

You need 100% reduction in the price.

Run fast!!

Am I being thick what’s the issue if it’s got rid of? I know it’s an invasive plant but will it damage the house? Or just fill the garden up unless you keep it at bay,

Run a mile.

@ChefsKisser it can damage the foundations of your home. Its massively invasive and impossible to get rid of, the root system grows fast and large and blocks drains. It can regrow from tiny fragments.

https://www.knotweedhelp.com/japanese-knotweed-guide/what-does-japanese-knotweed-do/

@Biscuit2027 walk away from this. It's not worth it.

It's very difficult to get rid of and will likley re appear

Do not buy this property. Thank goodness you've found out now.

Dont do it.

House around here just sold with known knotweed for 60K. The others on the road are worth about 180K so a 66% reduction and it was to cash buyer’s only. I would run a mile.

If knotweed is such a problem then why has it not taken over and grown everywhere? I really don’t get the “run” reaction.

I have seen it growing over the years on several waste ground plots near me and it’s always eventually been noticed removed and doesn’t seem to have recurred.

The article referenced above says
Japanese knotweed’s predominant effect on a house is financial. In the average case of Japanese knotweed discoveries, the value of the property is diminished between 5-15%
That seems a sensible answer to the question you asked.

The comments on this thread make it sound much worse than that though.

Only way I would be proceed is if current owners can take indemnity insurance out for you to cover the cost of any damage to your property or losses you may incur through not being able to sell. It's not uncommon for indemnity policies to be taken out, but I suspect Vendor will struggle to get one and that'll confirm what others say - run. Also, if you'd consider this option and it was possible, you have to decide if you want to take the risk and stress of problems in the future.