A homeowner from London has claimed nearly £30,000 after Japanese knotweed, the invasive plant introduced to the UK in the mid1800's, encroached onto their property from one of their neighbours. Knotweed has a long history of devaluing homes up and down the country as a result of its deep, fast-growing root system damaging surrounding land.
With bamboo-like stems, Japanese knotweed can spread incredibly fast when left untreated. During the winter months, Japanese knotweed may seem harmless but if not spotted, a small rhizome can turn into a fully formed and devastating plant. At this point, knotweed becomes harder and more expensive to get rid of and is unfortunately what one homeowner from London had to deal with.
Angelus Law, a Liverpool-based lawn firm that includes Japanese knotweed as one of its specialities, has helped the London homeowner to claim a £27,500 settlement as a result of knotweed devaluing their property.
Thanks to its strength and fast growth rate, properties can be devalued by thousands if knotweed is identified nearby. Unfortunately for this London property owner, land close by which had been owned by a property development company had a knotweed infestation that had reportedly been allowed to spread onto their boundaries.
This led to Angelus Law being contacted and helping to claim a settlement of nearly £30,000 from the property developers. They were also able to arrange for the knotweed to be treated by a professional removal company to ensure the plant was completely eradicated and treated for the long-term.
As a result, the London homeowner can now rest assured knowing the nearby lands are free from the invasive knotweed plant.
Principal Solicitor and Director of Angelus Law, Oonagh Burns said;
"Most peoples’ most important and valuable asset is their home.
“If Japanese Knotweed is present on a property it devalues the property, due to the fact it is an invasive plant and by law a controlled waste, therefore it must be removed from your property, and costs thousands of pounds to remove.
"Further, Japanese Knotweed can cause damage to structures such as paths and drains.
“We have settled many claims against property owners who have allowed Japanese knotweed to spread from their land onto our client’s land.
“We have successfully obtained damages for those clients for diminution in value of their property, the cost of removing the knotweed and compensation for loss of enjoyment of their property.”
If you believe to have spotted Japanese knotweed near your property and would like professional confirmation, Taylor Total Weed Control can help! Contact us today by filling in the form below and we will visit your property to confirm the presence of knotweed and if needed, construct a thorough eradication programme to ensure the weed is removed properly and quickly.
But that's not all, we can also serve as an expert witness in legal battles, more of which can be learned from our corresponding page.
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