I recently discovered that one of our rental properties in Walsall has Japanese Knotweed growing in the garden.  My immediate thought was “ouch this is going to be expensive and potentially very troublesome!”.

I knew from discussions with past colleagues and fellow industry professionals how much damage Japanese Knotweed can cause, especially if it gets under the structure of the property.  If found on a survey, mortgage lenders won’t even consider lending so it could potentially leave your property with zero value!

What is Japanese Knotweed?

I found the following definition from the Royal Horticultural website:-

“Japanese knotweed (Fallopia Japonica) is a weed that spreads rapidly.  In winter the plant dies back to ground level but by early summer the bamboo-like stems emerge from rhizomes deep underground to shoot to over 2.1m (7ft), suppressing all other plant growth.  Eradication requires determination as it is very hard to remove by hand or eradicate with chemicals.  New legislation now covers its control”

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