Comment on RICS’ new advice for the assessment of Japanese knotweed on UK properties, published for consultation on 22 June 2021

Nic Seal, Founder and Managing Director of Japanese knotweed specialists Environet UK, comments on RICS’ new advice for the assessment of Japanese knotweed on UK properties, published for consultation on 22 June 2021:

“Following the Parliamentary Committee’s findings two years ago which concluded that the UK’s approach to Japanese knotweed was ‘overly cautious’, it’s reassuring to see that RICS continues to recognise the very real risk the plant poses to homeowners and lenders.

“On the whole RICS’ advice is cautious and sensible, while rightly recognising that in a vast majority of cases, Japanese knotweed is treatable with professional help – and with a management plan in place transactions should be able to proceed unhindered, with property values largely preserved.

“I do have some concerns however around the repeated reference to the objective of ‘control’ as opposed to ‘eradication’. RICS identifies two options: either herbicide treatment carried out over several years, or excavating and consigning all the soil to landfill at great environmental cost. In fact, there are other treatment options available which require neither chemical use or landfill – such as our method for filtering knotweed rhizome from the soil and returning it to the ground.

“In my view there are often very good reasons to make eradication the goal – and by settling for ‘control’ the bar is lowered for the sake of a lower initial cost. Most homeowners and buyers will feel far less reassured knowing that knotweed is still present and alive on the property, even if herbicide treatment has induced it into temporary dormancy which could be broken at any time, particularly if building work takes place in the future, disturbing the ground and prompting the plant to regrow. This would have a far more serious impact on the value of the property over the long term, than if the infestation was eradicated from the outset.”

Kindly shared by Environet

Main photo courtesy of Pixabay