Japanese knotweed is an invasive plant that has caused a lot of trouble in the UK. Live cases have risen by almost 28% in the past five years, and it's been estimated that Japanese knotweed robs the British economy of £41 million each year.

If you find Japanese knotweed growing on your property, it's important to get it under control ASAP - leaving it to grow unchecked can reduce the value of your home, and you may even find yourself on the wrong side of the law if you permit the plant to spread into the wild.

So when it comes to dealing with Fallopia japonica, time is of the essence. That being said, you shouldn't try to tackle this plant yourself unless you know exactly what you're doing; Japanese knotweed is a tricky customer, and most amateur attempts to eradicate the plant just end up spreading it further.

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Japanese knotweed can cause havoc if it's left to grow wild in our communities. Currently, it is not a crime to have Japanese knotweed growing on your land, however, if the infestation spreads to surrounding areas, you could find yourself in court. A law was introduced in 2014 allowing local authorities to penalise people who did not take adequate steps to remove Japanese knotweed from their land. This law was put in place to help make sure communities aren't devastated by the invasive plant.

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A recent announcement suggests that there'll be new Japanese knotweed guidance from a range of invasive species and house associations coming soon. RICS, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee (HCLG) and Defra have worked together to tackle misinformation about knotweed. They realise that many people who are trying to buy or sell a home are left unsure how to deal with a Japanese knotweed problem, so their guidance will explain how homeowners should try to control knotweed rather than eradicate it completely.

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Japanese knotweed is one of those plants that homeowners fear. Not only is it notoriously difficult to get rid of, but it can also cause a number of structural and legal problems too.

Photo by Leonora Enking - Licence CC BY.SA 2.0 (View Original)

Today we're taking a closer look at Japanese knotweed's capabilities to find out if it can damage foundations.

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