Updated advice on a knotty problem for homeowners
All too often we encounter situations where homeowners are portrayed as living ‘under siege’ with Japanses knotweed. Dr Peter Fitzsimons
IT’S not likely to bring your home crashing down, but quick-growing Japanese knotweed can still affect the value of yout property, warns a national trade body.
The Property Care Association (PCA) has issued guidance to homeowners on the destructive plant, which can grow up to 10cm a day.
Since 2012, property valuation surveyors have measured the impact of Japanese knotweed using Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors risk categories contained in the information paper, Japanese Knotweed and Residential Property.
Now this guidance is being replaced with a 2022 guidance note of the same name that will allow mortgage lenders to better understand the impact of the plant.
PCA experts are urging homeowners not to ignore the presence of the weed.
While the guidance note recognises the weed is unlikely to damage substantial structures such as houses, it recommends the professional management of the plant if it is discovered on site.
Botanist Dr Peter Fitzsimons, of the PCA, said: “Despite the fact there are tried and trusted pathways to manage and control
Japanese knotweed, all too often we encounter situations where homeowners are portrayed as living ‘under siege’ with it
“We’ve always maintained the position that this plant is not a destroyer of buildings, and that it should just be regarded as any other type of property issue.
“But, as with other issues, a management plan should be based on a professional survey, and any treatments should be conducted by someone with the appropriate training and competence and able to support guarantees with thirdparty insurances.
“Japanese knotweed can still be viewed as a material risk to the value of a property and we would urge any homeowner with concerns about it to access our homeowners’ guide and look at the wealth of information and advice available on our website.
“Our guide answers the basic questions about the new guidance in the simplest terms and is designed to give homeowners an informed overview of how the changes may affect the value, sale or purchase of their home.”
The new PCA guide, A Homeowner’s Guide to Japanese knotweed, is available at: