Do surveyors check for Japanese knotweed?
Last Updated: 16/07/2024
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A RICS surveyor will report any visible signs of Japanese knotweed during a RICS home buyers survey. In the Level 2 Home Survey Report the RICS surveyor comment in section I2 Risks to the grounds.
The RICS surveyor should report on any visible signs within the grounds of the property, although if they can see the weed in a neighbouring property they may inform you if this was visible.
What is Japanese knotweed?
Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is a tall, fast-growing Japanese plant of the dock family and has bamboo-like stems and small white flowers. It was originally brought to the UK, in the mid-19th century, because of its beauty - with red stems and deep green leaves - but it has become a scourge for home owners.
It can grow up to 20cm every day and its roots can go down to 3m deep. It can grow through concrete and tarmac and it has no natural predators. It swamps other plants, denying them light. Although it produces no seeds, it can grow from the tiniest fragments of rhizomes, which are the underground network of stems and roots.
Japanese knotweed survey
If your RICS survey identifies that the property has Japanese knotweed, either in the ground or close to it then you should get a Japanese knotweed inspection from a company that will:
- 1
confirm if the weed is in fact Japanese knotweed; and
- 2
put together a plan to remove the knotweed and provide costings for the removal. Read more >> Japanese knotweed removal
Japanese knotweed report heatmap
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Written by:
Andrew Boast
Andrew started his career in 2000 working within conveyancing solicitor firms and grew hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of conveyancing challenges and solutions. After helping in excess of 50,000 clients in his career, he uses all this experience within his article writing for SAM, mainstream media and his self published book How to Buy a House Without Killing Anyone.
Reviewed by:
Caragh Bailey
Caragh is an excellent writer and copy editor of books, news articles and editorials. She has written extensively for SAM for a variety of conveyancing, survey, property law and mortgage-related articles.
