If you have a Japanese knotweed infestation on your property, you should be extremely careful. If the infestation spreads from your land onto neighbouring land, you can be sued.
A quick internet search will reveal a number of legal cases where people have claimed thousands of pounds after finding Japanese knotweed that had encroached on their land. To avoid a court case, you should treat Japanese knotweed on your property before it has a chance to encroach onto neighbouring land - otherwise, you'll be left to face the consequences.
A recent Manchester Evening News article details how an 87-year old widower and her late neighbour received a £20,000 payout after battling Japanese knotweed that had spread into their gardens from neighbouring land. Here are a few more details about the case...
Why wasn't the knotweed found sooner?
The neighbours had been living in terraced houses in Pentre, Wales. Both parties were unable to reach the very back of their properties because of a sharp incline, therefore, they were unaware that Japanese knotweed was spreading onto their property from the neighbouring land. At the point that the homeowners became aware of the problem, the knotweed had been growing and establishing in their gardens for over 15 years!
Where did the Japanese knotweed originate?
After some investigation, it was determined that the Japanese knotweed had originated from nearby land owned by Saul Roberts & Partners. Unfortunately, Saul Roberts and Partners hadn't put a treatment plan in place, and may not have even been aware of the problem that was developing. This meant that the neighbours' gardens were being damaged for a prolonged period of time.
What was the outcome?
The solicitors were able to prove that the knotweed had spread onto the residential property from neighbouring land, which meant that Saul Roberts and Partners were responsible for paying a considerable amount of compensation.
In total, the two neighbours received £20,000 with one of the neighbours signing her settlement just a few days before she passed away.
This is just one of many cases where someone has been sued because they allowed Japanese knotweed to spread from their land onto neighbouring property. Avoid hefty legal costs by having Japanese knotweed treated sooner rather than later.
Japanese knotweed treatments
Here at Taylor Total Weed Control, we offer a number of Japanese knotweed treatments that will help prevent the spread of knotween onto neighbouring properties. It all starts with an initial survey. From this point, our experienced technicians can advise you on the best course of action so that you don't find yourself in a sticky situation with the neighbours. Give us a call on 029 2039 7554 or fill in our enquiry form here.
We have helped numerous people who had Japanese knotweed on their land, but were unaware of the potential litigation they could be subject to if they allowed the Japanese knotweed to spread from their land onto adjacent land. The spread of Japanese knotweed actually comes under the law of nuisance and involves the loss of the “amenity use” of land due to Japanese Knotweed being present. Japanese knotweed that's on your property (or a neighbouring property) can also impact the value of your property as lenders are reluctant to advance money for mortgages on properties that have Japanese knotweed in their garden or near their boundaries.
This highlights the importance of seeking out effective Japanese knotweed treatments as soon as possible!
Our Japanese Knotweed Treatments >
Read More:
- What to Do if Your Neighbour Has Japanese Knotweed
- Can I Sue My Neighbour Over Japanese Knotweed?
- Buying a House with Japanese Knotweed
Is It Japanese Knotweed?