Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia Japonica) is a fast-growing and invasive plant. It can grow anywhere, has distinctive red stems and flat leaves. It can reach heights of up to four meters and its roots can stretch three meters deep and extend around seven meters in all directions.
Japanese Knotweed damage can be severe. It is very difficult and expensive to remove once it is on your land. Even if the smallest piece of root is left in the soil the weed can regrow very quickly. Its root system is very strong – strong enough to break through concrete and it can cause serious damage to buildings and drainage systems if not kept under control.
It was first introduced to Britain in the 19thCentury as an ornamental plant but has since been allowed to grow wild. Matters have been made worse as certain companies such as Network Rail have actively planted Japanese Knotweed to sure up embankments and other areas of land.
As Japanese Knotweed can grow anywhere it tends to spread through large areas of land that haven’t been looked after by their owners. These sites can include railway tracks; rivers; construction sites etc. If your property is close to areas like these then you could be at greater risk from the spread of knotweed.
Why is Japanese Knotweed dangerous?
Japanese knotweed can cause severe problems for homeowners. Not only is there a potential risk to losing your garden to an infestation, it can also cause problems to your home’s foundations and create potential issues further down the line when you come to sell your house.
Even if the Japanese knotweed hasn’t caused physical damage to your property it can seriously reduce the value of your property – leaving it is simply not an option because of the future damage it will cause. Our panel are aware of several instances were mortgage companies won’t lend money against a property affected by Japanese knotweed.
This can mean that you are unable to sell your house or you are only able to sell your house at an undervalued price. Our panel of Japanese knotweed solicitors have also heard of cases where surveyors have valued a property at zero because of the effects of Japanese knotweed.
How does Japanese Knotweed spread?
The Japanese Knotweed plant is very fast growing within soil, from a fibrous rhizome – a creeping root system. Soil can be contaminated with reproductive knotweed material from a depth of 3 metres, with a radius of 7 metres.
In most cases, the accidental transportation of soils containing Japanese Knotweed seeds means that it then takes over whatever soil it is placed into. In addition to this, with the plant not being native to the United Kingdom, the usual natural controlling systems and organisms that have occurred in Japan over many years are not present, meaning it is left unchecked to grow.
In most of the Japanese Knotweed compensation claims, our group of solicitors are dealing where the Japanese Knotweed has spread from commercial land, such as railways and construction sites, onto residential land. In these cases, our panel have argued that the owner of the residential land has an actionable claim against the owner of the neighbouring land for damages.
If you have Japanese Knotweed on your property, or if there is Japanese knotweed close to your property, our panel of solicitors can help you claim compensation. The scenarios they are currently involved with include:
- Japanese knotweed has spread onto your land because another landowner hasn’t controlled it on their land. This might be a neighbour or a larger organisation like Network Rail. In such a case you may have a claim for damages.
- You have purchased a property, but the seller has failed to tell you that they had a problem with Japanese Knotweed. In these cases you would have a claim against the seller.
- You have purchased a property and obtained a home buyers survey. It subsequently transpires that the property had knotweed, but the surveyor failed to pick this up. In these cases, you would have a claim against the surveyor.
In the above cases, our expert Japanese Knotweed panel can assist. They would bring a claim for Japanese Knotweed damages which would comprise the cost of eradication and removal as well as any diminution in value of the property.
What Does Japanese Knotweed Look Like?
Japanese Knotweed can go through a few recognisable phases throughout the year. During Spring, purple/red stalks will appear in ground. These will then sprout into green-ish asparagus-like spears which can grow up to 8cm a day in the warmer months of spring.
Moving into summer, these stalks will start to form thick stems which develop broad, heart-shaped leaves. The leaves produce a distinctive alternating pattern along each side of the stem. In early summer, these stalks can grow up to 3 metres in height.
Japanese knotweed flowers are also a giveaway. They emerge in late summer and are cream coloured. They form in cluster formations.