Japanese Knotweed Claims
Have you noticed Japanese Knotweed growing on your property?
What is Japanese Knotweed?
Japanese Knotweed is an invasive perennial plant that grows extremely quickly and can outcompete any plants growing nearby. It can also cause damage to buildings, with the potential to grow through cracks in bricks, mortar, or concrete.
The problem with Japanese Knotweed is that it is notoriously hard to get rid of, it isn’t as simple as just cutting it away or digging it up, tiny fragments of the root system or cuttings can initiate a fresh growth. It is usually dealt with by professionals that will treat the plant over several years until it completely dies, this usually comes with an insurance back guarantee.
If the plant is found on or near your property it can affect the value of the property or in a worse case scenario you could be declined a mortgage if the property is found to have it growing.
Japanese Knotweed is a fast-growing, invasive plant that can outcompete neighboring plants and harm buildings by infiltrating cracks in bricks, mortar, or concrete. Removing it isn’t straightforward, as even small root fragments can trigger regrowth. Professionals typically handle its treatment over several years, often with an insurance-backed guarantee. Discovering this plant on or near your property may reduce its value or, in severe cases, result in mortgage rejection.
How to identify Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed can be difficult to identify if you don’t know what you’re looking for as it has similarities to other plants. Another reason why it is difficult to identify is because of how quickly it grows and how it changes quite rapidly across the seasons.
- New leaves are dark red and 1 to 4 cm long
- Young leaves are green and rolled up with dark red veins
- The mature leaves are green and heart-shaped but flattened at the base (a bit like a shield) and are usually around 12cm long
- Stems are ‘bamboo-like’, with obvious nodes/rings and purple speckles
- Leaves shoot from the stem nodes alternately, which creates a ‘zig-zag’ pattern at the top
- Mature stems are hollow and not at all woody (they can be snapped with relative ease to show their hollowness)
Who can claim compensation?
If you believe it has spread to your property from someone else’s actions, then you can claim for compensation. It is not illegal to grow the plant on your property however, it is illegal to allow it to spread from your own property to someone else property or public land.
If you bought a house and it was not disclosed that Japanese Knotweed was present at the time of buying the property, then you can also claim as a Japanese Knotweed infestation must be disclosed on the ‘TA6 property form’. If it turns out the seller lied about the infestation of Japanese Knotweed, then you could be eligible for a claim.
For example, a homeowner made a claim against Network rail and was awarded £15,000. Another group of homeowners in the Amman Valley in South Wales won a compensation claim for damages totalling £42,500. Between 2011-2019 Network Rail has received over 6,000 complaints and there have been 37 closed cases the total pay-out of these exceeded £500,000!
If Japanese Knotweed spreads from someone else’s property to yours, you can claim compensation. It’s not illegal to have it on your property, but letting it spread is against the law. If you bought a property without knowing about Japanese Knotweed (not disclosed on the ‘TA6 property form’), you might have a claim. For example, a homeowner received £15,000 from Network Rail, and a group in the Amman Valley won £42,500 in damages. Network Rail has dealt with over 6,000 complaints between 2011 and 2019, paying out over £500,000 in 37 closed cases.
Try our free, no-obligation eligibility check
Apply online or speak to one of our friendly team over the phone and find out if you're eligible for compensation. We offer a free, no-obligation eligibility check, just fill out our Japanese Knotweed enquiry form.
Apply OnlineRequest a callThe average value of a Japanese Knotweed claim can vary significantly depending on various factors, including the extent of the infestation, the level of property damage, and the associated costs for treatment and remediation. Each case is unique, and the value of a claim is determined based on individual circumstances. In order to evaluate your claim we will book a survey with an expert who can evaluate just how much you could be owed.
- Submit a claim enquiry
- Receive a phone call to discuss the infestation and any costs associated
- Gather evidence
- Our team will create a case, we will keep you updated
- Receive compensation
We do not take any up-front fees! You may have heard of ‘no win, no fee’ – this seems a little daunting, however it just means that we back every compensation claim with insurance to ensure that if your case is lost, you will not have to pay anything.
If your case does win and you receive compensation, we will take a percentage to cover our solicitors’ time working on the case.
We guarantee that all our clients will receive at least 51% of the compensation rewarded.
