How do harmful weeds affect your garden?
Anyone who has a garden will be more than aware of the speed in which weeds will grow, and that if left uncontrolled, they can become unsightly and overgrown very quickly. Having recently acquired an overgrown allotment which I have spent many hours clearing and digging, I can tell you with authority that weeds are almost impossible to eradicate and therefore need to be regularly controlled. Most varieties of weeds are harmless if regularly managed, with the exception of the odd thorny or irritant types of weeds. There is however one particular type of weed that has received increased publicity over recent years, due to the size and rate of growth, which is now deemed to be a threat to buildings and structures. This weed has become such a risk that many mortgage lenders have refused mortgages when its presence has been identified.
Understand the effects of Japanese knotweed
The culprit is Japanese knotweed which in a recent article on channel4.com/4homes states: ‘If you’re buying a new home and Japanese knotweed comes up on the survey, a lender may refuse your mortgage. ‘In practice, it’s not usually a problem as long as a remediation plan is put in place,’ says Sue Anderson, spokesperson for the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). It’s clearly a worry for prospective home owners. ‘We get 15 to 20 calls per week asking for advice on Japanese knotweed, often when a valuation for mortgage is made,’ says Maxime Jay. ‘The problem is that every mortgage lender has its own policy.
Inception of Japanese knotweed
Japanese knotweed (Latin name – Fallopia japonica) was introduced into the UK as an ornamental plant by the Victorians. It originated from Asia in countries such as Northern China and Japan where it grew in harsh habitats on the slopes around volcanoes. When introduced into the UK, the conditions were far more fertile than those in Asia allowing the plant to thrive. Japanese knotweed is a perennial plant, meaning that it will grow for many seasons with the plant dying back in the winter and re-growing the following spring.
