Knotweed nightmare

[katherinesymonds]

Does anyone have experience of dealing with Southwark council over the eradication of Japanese knotweed?

We are leaseholders of a flat in a lovely listed building overlooking the Rye and have been complaining about knotweed in the garden for a few years. We've just put our flat on the market but one mortgage company has already turned down an application because of it.

The contaminated land stretches across the back of four building containing about 14 flats. Some of the gardens are divided into plots, and some of it is just communal. Our lease shows we have 'right of access' to one little plot, but not ownership. Our plot isn't contaminated however the plot belonging to the ground floor flat - i.e. the one that butts up against our property - is riddled with it meaning the house is now in danger.

Our view is that, as the freeholder, the council is responsible for establishing (and paying for!) a three-year works order for professionals to properly eradicaate it.

we need to get this squared away asap before our moving plans fall through (we've had an offer accepted on a house in ED) so would welcome any informed advice about how to manage this problem quickly and effectively! Photos attached so you can see the nightmare we've got on our hands.

Thanks all!

[Jeremy]

We are having a similar-ish problem. We weren't able to sell due to knotweed on network rail property at the end of the garden.

I'm not quite clear what your situation is. Do you live in a small block of council flats, with some privately owned units?

[UncleBen]

Somewhere in the fog of my memory japanese knotweed has to be reported to the environment agency or some other body? Cut the stem at ground level, fill the stump tube with weedkiller, and burn the removed stem.

[Sue]

UncleBen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Somewhere in the fog of my memory japanese

> knotweed has to be reported to the environment

> agency or some other body? Cut the stem at ground

> level, fill the stump tube with weedkiller, and

> burn the removed stem.

xxxxxx

Sorry, but that won't work .....

If Japanese Knotweed could be killed so easily with weedkiller,there'd be no problem ......

[Salsaboy]

Japanese Knotweed material is regarded as ?controlled waste? and not disposing of it properly would be an offence under the Environmental Protection Act, 1990. Allowing the spread of Japanese Knotweed into the wild is also an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

This is the best website I've found about knotweed: http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/environmentplanning/natural_environment/biodiversity/japanese_knotweed.htm

This is quite good: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/wildlife/130079.aspx

[Jeremy]

Sue, there are weedkillers you can get now which will kill knotweed, but it will take 2-3 years to get rid of the stuff...

[JohnL]

There is a louse -a psyllid that apparently might be released to eat it

Could be frightening.

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> UncleBen Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Somewhere in the fog of my memory japanese

> > knotweed has to be reported to the environment

> > agency or some other body? Cut the stem at

> ground

> > level, fill the stump tube with weedkiller, and

> > burn the removed stem.

>

> xxxxxx

>

> Sorry, but that won't work .....

>

> If Japanese Knotweed could be killed so easily

> with weedkiller,there'd be no problem ......

[Jeremy]

Sounds risky... introducing one imported species to get rid of another.

[KidKruger]

Jeremy: "Sue, there are weedkillers you can get now which will kill knotweed, but it will take 2-3 years to get rid of the stuff..."

Have you got any product names you could share pls.

[El Pibe]

glyphosate

Scotts Roundup Tree Stump & Rootkiller, Scotts Roundup Ultra 3000, Scotts Tumbleweed, Bayer Tough Rootkill, Bayer Super Strength Glyphosate or Doff Knockdown Maxi Strength Weedkiller

[El Pibe]

resisted

[Jeremy]

KK/EP - "Tordon" is the stuff you need.

[DulwichFox]

Japanese knotweed ? which has the scientific name fallopia japonica ? was introduced into Britain by the Victorians.

Incredibly invasive, it can grow 4in a day from April to October and a tiny root can establish itself as a plant in just ten days.

Apparently solid structures such as tarmac and flooring in houses are no barrier to its growth and the weed also creates a risk of flooding if leaves clog waterways.

Knotweed is recognised by its shovel-shaped leaves, bamboo-like stem and white flowers produced in autumn.

If you discover the plant on your property these are some of the steps you should take to prevent further problems:

 Immediately create a 21ft exclusion zone around the suspect plant.

Do an initial spray with glyphosate-based weed killer.

Do not excavate or move soil from the exclusion zone without instruction from the local authority.

Cutting should be done with sharp secateurs or pull it out by hand to avoid dispersal of fragments.

Wash feet and clean shoes when leaving the contaminated area.

If you cut down knotweed, you can burn it on site or bury it ? 16ft deep, covered with a root-barrier membrane and with inert topsoil ? with permission from the Environment Agency. Material taken from the site must be disposed of at a licensed facility.

couple-demolish-300k-home-rid-Japanese-knotweed

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2052337/Hertfordshire-couple-demolish-300k-home-rid-Japanese-knotweed.html

Foxy

[Jeremy]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Immediately create a 21ft exclusion zone around the suspect plant.

This advice isn't aimed at the typical London home, is it?

[Townleygreen]

My neighbour had a major problem but it was sorted out by a specialist firm in two site visits - the second a few weeks after the first to confirm that the plant had not recovered.

Seems to have worked.

Unfortunately I don't know the firm's name.

[araucaria]

This approach seems to work, but it can take a couple of seasons before all of the rootstock is killed off for good.

- chop the stem off a foot or two about ground level

- ram a bamboo cane down the stem a few times to break the membranes between each segment

- fill the stem up with a glyphosate-based weedkiller

- burn the offcuts (JK is a 'controlled waste' so you need special permissions to transport it)

Southwark have a page dedicated to JK and provide a removal service, albeit for a fee.

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/530/food_and_garden_waste/2119/japanese_knotweed/1

[Sue]

El Pibe Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> glyphosate

> Scotts Roundup Tree Stump & Rootkiller, Scotts

> Roundup Ultra 3000, Scotts Tumbleweed, Bayer Tough

> Rootkill, Bayer Super Strength Glyphosate or Doff

> Knockdown Maxi Strength Weedkiller

xxxxxx

Really?

Glyphosate has been around for years. Good as it's non-residual, but I had no idea it was effective for Japanese Knotweed.

[Lu]

I can sympathise as we also have a problem with Japanese knotweed and I've been trying to get our flats' managing agents to deal with it for over year. Apparently now is the best time to start treatment, while the plant is in its growing phase. Our has grown nearly 2ft in a week!

I understand it has to be treated and disposed off by a licensed company and the treatment can take many months - however as long as you are treating it, lenders should grant mortgages on the property. That's what I'v been told anyway.

[El Pibe]

what the hell do I know?

That was from the Royal Horticultural Society, linky was provided.

[Burbage]

A summary of the issues, and the surveying/lending industry's views on it, is more-or-less here. It's a draft from a couple of years ago (the final version is a secret known only to those who can profit from it).

The upshot is that, unless the council are kind enough to commit to a plan to tackle it, lenders will remain twitchy (assuming knotweed is the real reason for refusal). All you can practically do is write and ask the council to deal with it, or hope the next buyer's lender is more relaxed. The council is only obliged to ensure that the knotweed on their property doesn't escape into the 'wild' and thanks to an incompetent legislature and an absence of case-law, the 'wild' means whatever the council chooses it to mean.

As freeholders, the council does have a responsibility for maintaining the property, but in this context that just means they're able to charge you (and the other leaseholders) for repairing any damage that the knotweed might eventually cause. In theory, leaseholders might be able to take the council to the LVT if they've neglected a problem that does later cause serious damage, but that's a very distant gamble, is likely to cost you either way, can't be done before the damage has happened and might become horribly complicated if the council has tried to outsource the management. A better possibility is that the council's insurers (should there be any) kick up a fuss before things get too expensive, but they'll only do that if they're at risk of having to pay out. If not, they won't bother.

[annabel42]

Complete Weed Control does this work. They do a lot of work for Lewisham housing associations.

We used them last year for the spraying of giant hogweed and found them reliable, professional and very reasonably priced.

It is a franchise - check their website for information on knotweed.

Email address : [email protected]

[Sue]

Just looked at El Pibe's link, and the RHS page says that professional contractors will have access to more powerful weedkillers than glyphosate, so probably best to grit your teeth and pay a professional to do it ....

[katherinesymonds]

Thanks so much to everyone who's given us advice - much appreciated. And thanks in particular to Burbage for the link to the RICS document. Helps knowing exactly how mortgage valuers think about the issue.

Had a meeting with the council today and they are now developing a business case to fund its removal. It's breaking up the concrete at the foot of our block (we're up on the top floor) so I hope, as freeholders, that this is a pretty compelling business case all by itself!

[Guest]

There's alot of knotweed behind my property in an unused section of land. I've notified the council but they say the land could belong to National Rail. It's not close to any buildings, so would it be safe just to leave them alone or would they start spreading?

[The Minkey]

Monsanto say Roundup's safe but then again they would, wouldn't they..

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=weed-whacking-herbicide-p