Can Japanese knotweed cause property subsidence?
Don't sink to despair; get to grips with Japanese knotweed and property damage.
Property subsidence & Japanese knotweed
Japanese knotweed will not directly cause subsidence on your property, but it can help subsidence along by taking advantage of already-weak structures. That means Japanese knotweed will attack anything from damaged concrete to cracked tarmac in its search for water and sunlight. So, say goodbye to your shed, greenhouse and even your conservatory – slowly but surely your garden is going down!
Affecting your mortgage
Having Japanese knotweed on your property will affect your mortgage, but add subsidence into the mix and you've sunk to a whole new level of bad. In fact, new guidelines from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) have laid out two ways Japanese knotweed may affect your property and thus your mortgage.
- If Japanese knotweed has caused visible damage to your house, your surveyor will report it - a capsizing conservatory will not go unnoticed!
- Your surveyor will also mention subsidence caused by Japanese knotweed if it has stopped you properly using and enjoying your garden - especially likely if you can't get your shed door open because it has sunk below ground level!
Annoyingly, evidence of subsidence may push your property into the higher-risk category and reduce your chance of achieving a mortgage, renewing a mortgage and can reduce the value of your house. But don't abandon ship just yet, we have the answer to your Japanese knotweed problem.
Dealing with Japanese knotweed
Treating or removing an infestation from your property is the best way to deal with Japanese knotweed. Whether or not this highly invasive plant can cause subsidence, or dance a jig, the important thing is to hire at reputable knotweed removal service to legally handle the leafy leech before it sinks its teeth further into your mortgage.
Get the Japanese knotweed help you need today by contact our friendly team at TCM