A housing association has come under fire after it allowed a Japanese knotweed plant to encroach on a neighbouring garden. Here's the full story...
The owner of a home in Peckham contacted his lawyer after spotting some Japanese knotweed emerging on his property. He had owned the terraced house for over 32 years and identified the invasive weed making its way into his garden.
His lawyers gave him the correct advice and suggested that he call in some experts in the management of Japanese knotweed to assess the situation. They were able to quickly identify the source of the knotweed and give the homeowner a quote for removing it.
As the homeowner expected, the knotweed had originated from a neighbouring plot of land owned by the housing association in question. Not only that, but the knotweed experts also identified that the knotweed had been growing for least five years and that there were signs of pre-treatment - so it was a known problem.
Thankfully, there had been no structural damage to the homeowner's property, but this definitely could have happened if the knotweed was left unchecked. The Knotweed treatment was going to cost upwards of £5000! On top of this, the problem itself devalued the house by an estimated £20,000! As you can imagine, the homeowner wanted (and was entitled to) some sort of compensation for this foliage faux-pas.
Initially, the housing association didn't want to fork out any compensation, but with a little persuasion, they agreed to pay the homeowner £32,500.
What can you do if you think your neighbour has knotweed?
If you think one of your neighbours has Japanese knotweed that could quickly make its way to your property, you're going to panic. But what can you actually do about it?
Be aware that as long as the knotweed is on their land, your neighbour is under no obligation to remove it. However, the minute it starts to encroach on your property, your neighbours are liable for legal action.
You could arrange for the Japanese knotweed to be monitored, as well as having an official letter sent to your neighbour advising them that they need to deal with the problem quickly! The Japanese knotweed monitoring service will give you a record of the knotweeds movement onto your property, which may come in handy if you ever need to sue your neighbour for private nuisance. We can provide a professional knotweed monitoring service, get in touch to find out more.
Whether there's knotweed on your property or neighbouring property, the easiest way to get it under to control is to seek professional help! Don't hesitate to give us a call if you need us to survey a knotweed problem in South Wales or South West England.
Is It Japanese Knotweed?