JustCheck™ - Japanese Knotweed Survey
Japanese knotweed can significantly affect the value and saleability of a property or plot of land. That’s why we developed JustCheck™ - a bespoke survey for those buying or selling land, to give ultimate peace of mind.
What is JustCheck™?
- JustCheck™ is a bespoke Japanese knotweed survey, used in cases where a customer is unsure whether or not a property is affected by knotweed and wants to be certain before completing the TA6 form, which, if answered incorrectly, could leave them exposed to a legal case in the future. JustCheck™ also offers peace of mind to buyers who have received a ‘Not known’ response for Japanese knotweed on the TA6.
- Our expert surveyors will check the property for any sign of knotweed, including within 3m of the boundary. As concealment or dormancy following herbicide treatment could result in our experts being unable to identify any Japanese knotweed on a property, our reports also come with a 5-year warranty to cover the cost of treatment in the unlikely event it should later appear.
When should I get a JustCheck™ Japanese Knotweed Survey?
All sellers of residential property are asked to disclose whether their home “is affected by knotweed” when completing the standard TA6 Property Information Form. Since The Law Society changed its guidance in 2020, sellers who answer “No” must be sure there is no knotweed present, including rhizome beneath the ground or on adjoining property within 3 metres of the boundary. Those that provide false information risk lengthy and expensive claims for misrepresentation. You should therefore get a JustCheck™ Japanese knotweed survey if;
- You are selling your home or business premises and want to check if Japanese knotweed is present so that you can accurately answer the TA6 form.
- You are buying a property and want to give yourself some peace of mind that it is free of Japanese knotweed.
- You are planning an extension or a self-build and want to check your garden to prevent accidentally building over Japanese knotweed.
What happens if I incorrectly state my property is knotweed free?
If you know that your property is affected by Japanese knotweed, you must tell a prospective purchaser, otherwise you could find yourself on the wrong side of a costly and very unpleasant lawsuit for misrepresentation. In a well-publicised legal case in Raynes Park, a homebuyer successfully sued their seller when knotweed was found growing behind a shed at the bottom of the garden after they moved in. Damages and costs were awarded to reflect the diminution in the property’s value as a result of the knotweed, costing the seller, who gave false information, £230,000.
Proving a negative is always fraught with difficulty, even more so for knotweed that can be hidden underground in a dormant state. Good conveyancers will advise their clients to only answer “No” if absolutely certain, the safer option being a “Not known” answer. For the seller that wants to provide their buyer with more reassurance, a JustCheck™ survey, with the warranty assigned to the new owner, can eliminate the uncertainty and allow the sale to proceed unhindered.
Want to know if a property is affected by Japanese knotweed?
Book your JustCheck™ survey today
Our Credentials
We have robust systems in place for Environmental and Health & Safety management. Risk assessments are carried out for every aspect of our business to identify situations where harm could be caused. We have an ethos of continuous improvement to eliminate or reduce the risks with detailed working procedures, on-going training and monitoring.
All our staff have health and safety and emergency first aid training. We are also accredited by CHAS and Constructionline and are members of the Property Care Association (PCA).
