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Japanese knotweed survey & Japanese knotweed management plans
Japanese knotweed is an invasive plant that can cause damage to infrastructure if allowed to spread. There are several reasons why you might want to arrange a Japanese knotweed survey for any property and put together an effective management plan, normally called a JKMP.
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How does it work?
Why do I need a Japanese knotweed survey and management plan?
- You might be selling your home or business premises and want to check whether Japanese knotweed is present and how widespread it is so you can inform potential buyers.
- You could be buying a property and want to give yourself some peace of mind that it is free of Japanese knotweed.
- You may suspect that you have a problem and want to know the extent of infestation before you put together a Japanese knotweed management plan.
- You might be worried about Japanese knotweed that is close to your property, even though it is on someone else’s land.
- You are planning an extension or a self-build, and want to check your garden to prevent accidentally building over Japanese knotweed.
- We also provide JustCheck™ surveys in cases where a customer is unsure whether or not a property is affected by knotweed and wants to be certain before buying or selling a property.
JustCheck™ - Japanese knotweed protection
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 and warranty for those buying or selling a home, to give ultimate peace of mind
From £325+VAT, for a survey and a £20,000 warranty*
What is a Japanese knotweed house survey report?
Whether you are buying or selling a property or just want confirmation, a Japanese knotweed survey by a professional team is the best option. This kind of focused survey is designed to give you a full understanding of the situation on your land and the surrounding area and is especially important if you live in a Japanese knotweed hotspot.
A Japanese knotweed survey company will first look for visible signs of the plant. Any full survey for Japanese knotweed, however, needs to consider the extent of the rhizomes underground and how far these have spread. A survey team will also look at the potential source of the infestation, whether any damage has been caused and whether the knotweed is active or dormant at the moment.
You can usually be present during a Japanese knotweed building survey and that should give you the chance to see what is being discovered and ask appropriate questions.
At Environet, we produce a full Japanese knotweed survey report and this can then be used to put together a Japanese Knotweed Management Plan (JKMP).
If you are buying a property and the plant has been identified in an area like the garden, getting a mortgage can often depend on having a management plan in place. It’s important, therefore, to work with a specialist Japanese knotweed survey company to cover all the bases.
Use our extensive guide to identify Japanese knotweed!
What does Japanese knotweed look like?
How much does a Japanese knotweed survey cost?
The cost of a Japanese knotweed survey will depend on who carries it out, the extent of the area that needs to be surveyed and whether the plant is present or not, either on the property or in the surrounding area. Survey costs are from £250 + VAT.
Check for Japanese knotweed hotspots in your area
Environet's UK heatmap lists over 50,000 sightings!
Japanese knotweed homebuyer's survey
If you are buying a new home, the last thing that you want is to find you have this invasive plant in your garden once you’ve exchanged contracts. Sellers are, of course, legally obliged to inform buyers that there is an issue.
It’s not always a good idea to take someone’s word for it – Buyer beware! KnotSure™ – Environet’s bespoke desktop search will tell you if the property is in a low, medium or high risk area, make recommendations for next steps and even give you an idea of the potential impact on the property value if knotweed were present. Buying a KnotSure Japanese knotweed homebuyer’s survey gives you certainty.
If the property is in a high-risk area – it’s advisable to follow up with a JustCheck Japanese knotweed assessment – By commissioning a Japanese knotweed survey before you buy, it also gives you the opportunity to have input into the resulting management plan in the unfortunate event that knotweed is discovered – making sure it fits your future needs, and any requirements your mortgage lender might have.
To Start Fixing your Japanese Knotweed Problem Today
Call our team for specialist advice and effective solutions
What is the difference between a Japanese knotweed Management Plan and a Treatment Plan?
The terms Japanese knotweed Management Plan (JKMP, or KPM) and Treatment Plan are often used interchangeably to mean the same thing, however both terms are in fact different. A Japanese knotweed Management Plan (JKMP, KMP) is a detailed document that contains a set of defined information about the Japanese knotweed on, or adjacent to, a named property. A JKMP, or KMP will detail the location, age and extent of Japanese knotweed, along with a location map and photographs. Management Plans often contain more general information about Japanese knotweed and what you need to do as a landowner to meet your duties in law. You will almost certainly need a Japanese knotweed Management Plan if you try to sell your house, or remortgage.
Japanese knotweed Management Plans normally contain a Treatment Plan within them – which details the recommended treatment to control or remove Japanese knotweed from a specific property. It is possible to commission a Japanese knotweed Treatment Plan, without a detailed Japanese knotweed Management Plan, but this is rare given that information in the JKMP will usually inform the Treatment Plan. Sometimes, the term Japanese knotweed Treatment Plan also refers to the schedule of herbicide applications required for a Herbicide Treatment Programme.
Quick definitions
- Japanese knotweed Management Plan (JKMP, or KPM): A detailed report about a property, often required by mortgage lenders and buyers containing a Treatment Plan.
- Japanese knotweed Treatment Plan: The specific details of the method and associated timeline used for the control or removal of Japanese knotweed, often found within a JKMP.
Japanese knotweed management plan (JKMP)
If this invasive plant is present either on your property or the surrounding land, it’s advised that you put in place a management plan for Japanese knotweed. This will generally depend on the extent of the infestation and where it is located.
It’s not just a simple case of removing the above-ground plant – part of the problem with knotweed is the network of rhizomes that can spread in the soil underneath. Ideally, you want a Japanese knotweed management plan that is approved by the Environment Agency and that literally attacks the root problem. You may only have a small area where you can physically see the signs of knotweed but the network of rhizomes is likely going to be much wider below ground.
Any Japanese knotweed management plan will depend on issues such as accessibility and the extent of the infestation, for example, whether it is already causing damage to infrastructure.
In most cases, the best option is to dig up the plant and remove all the rhizomes. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible but treatment using herbicides can also be employed. Often a combination of both is used.
At Environet, we offer a guaranteed 10-year Japanese knotweed management plan that is backed by insurance. That means once we’ve solved the immediate problem if infestation reoccurs within the next ten years then the treatment is covered by our insurance plan.
We use a variety of different approaches including our unique excavation and screening tools Eco-Innovative Xtract™, DART™ and Resi-Dig-Out™. While they share characteristics when it comes to an effective Japanese knotweed management plan, each property is different which is why a flexible approach is required.
Our expert teams around the UK know practically all there is to know about this invasive plant and can put together a focused and effective plan that helps clear the problem and give you complete peace of mind.
Your Japanese knotweed management plan cost will depend on the size of the area affected, the nature of the location and the extent of the infestation. At Environet, all our expert teams work closely with property owners to make sure that the costs are controlled.
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Contact us
Our team of experts is available between 9am and 5:30pm, Monday to Friday to answer your enquiries and advise you on the next steps
Want a survey?
If you already know you have an invasive plant problem, you can request a survey online in less than two minutes by providing a few brief details. A member of the team will swiftly come back to you with further information and our availability.
Need quick plant identification?
Simply upload a few images of your problem plant to our identification form and one of our invasive plant experts will take a look and let you know, free of charge what you are dealing with. We’ll also be there to help with next steps where necessary.
