If you’ve found yourself with a Japanese knotweed presence on your property, it can be difficult to know how to proceed.
One of the most common questions we receive here at Taylor Total Weed Control is ‘do I have to tell my neighbours that there’s knotweed on my property?’
It may come as a relief to you to know that if you have Japanese knotweed growing on your property, you are not legally required to declare it to your neighbours.
However, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, you are obliged to prevent it from spreading onto your neighbour’s property (or any anywhere else for that matter). Under this act, allowing the spread of Japanese knotweed either intentionally or unintentionally is a crime.
When should I report Japanese knotweed?
If you are selling your property, in this instance, you are legally required to disclose the presence of Japanese knotweed.
When selling a property, you will fill in a form called ‘TA6’, on which there is a question that specifically asks if there is a knotweed presence on your property. If you know there is knotweed on your property, you are legally obliged to make it known here.
The question states ‘Is the property affected by Japanese knotweed?’ with three potential answers.
You can only select ‘no’ if you are absolutely certain that there is no knotweed on your property.
Reporting Japanese Knotweed
If you have a knotweed presence and need to report it, you can do so by visiting the Non-Native Species Secretariat website, which is the industry body for companies involved in the control and eradication of non-native invasive species in the UK.
If you’d like to learn more about reporting Japanese knotweed, Taylor Total Weed Control are knotweed management and control specialists. Check out our specialist page dedicated to reporting Japanese knotweed to learn more.
If you think you may have a knotweed presence on your property but aren’t sure, Taylor Total Weed Control offer FREE Japanese knotweed surveys, in which we’ll let you know whether or not there is a knotweed presence on your property, where it is, and an estimate of how much it will cost to treat it.
Unlike our competitors, our knotweed survey is completely free, even if you don’t proceed with a knotweed treatment with us. If you’d like to arrange your free knotweed survey today, click the link below.
Free Knotweed Survey
Read More: How to Resolve a Japanese Knotweed Dispute with Your Neighbour
Is It Japanese Knotweed?