Japanese Knotweed Claims
How Can A Plant Affect The Home?
A Japanese Knotweed Infestation can affect your home in many ways. It is classed as an invasive alien species as it has the ability to outcompete any other plants that grow near to it. As well as this it can damage your property by growing through foundations and brickwork, this is where it can start to affect the value of your property. Not just this but it can also affect you getting a mortgage if it is found on the property and the same goes for re-mortgaging to.
The problem is that it is so hard to get rid of you can’t just cut it down or dig it up because it will most likely return, as well as this there are also rules around transporting it and disposing of it. Usually a treatment method is needed over many years.
How Can You Claim Against A Plant?
It is not illegal to grow this plant on your property however, if you allow it to spread from your property onto a neighbouring property then it is illegal and you could be eligible for a claim. There is also a chance that the infestation could of been missed of by a surveyor or it was not declared when you bought the property – Legally it must be declared, so you could have grounds for compensation. There are also many cases of successful cases where the plant has approached from public property such as railway lines.
