Japanese knotweed is a weed that can cause serious damage to your property. It spreads quickly and can be very difficult to get rid of.
The Japanese Knotweed Survey Report will help you identify if you have this weed on your property, how to get rid of it, and what the potential consequences could be if you don’t take action.
A property is considered to be affected by knotweed if it is found within the boundaries of the property or close to the boundary on an adjacent property.
Why do you need a Japanese Knotweed survey?
The presence of Japanese Knotweed on your property must be declared on the TA6 form due to the high risk of damage, the impact on property value, and the potential for spread. You could face legal consequences if you don’t declare the presence of Japanese Knotweed. Many mortgage lenders may want a comprehensive survey before approving a loan, as well as proof of Japanese Knotweed management and treatment plan.
Surveyors need to be members of the Property Care Associate (PCA) and have been trained to detect the existence of any invasive plant species within a property, giving you peace of mind that any possible hazards will be addressed. When doing a survey on a residential property, the RICS Risk Categories are assessed.
A Japanese knotweed assessment and report may be required in order to get, or for the seller to obtain, a mortgage, especially if the property is impacted by Japanese Knotweed. A survey and report document will give formal Japanese knotweed verification, as well as a more accurate plan of where Japanese knotweed is located within the property, the RICS risk category rating, and professional advice on the property’s most successful remediation method.
What is included in a Japanese Knotweed Survey?
Clients purchasing and selling property affected by Japanese Knotweed and other invasive species can have peace of mind with a Home Sellers and Buyers Survey and Japanese Knotweed Report. A thorough walkthrough survey, RICS Risk Category Assessment, annotated images, a GIS CAD site plan, site results, and professional recommendations on the best remediation strategy are all included. The client is also given a quotation.
Japanese knotweed survey risk categories
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has prepared a “risk” chart to help understand and categorise the level of risk that knotweed poses to property (see below). The proximity of the knotweed to the habitable area or the property boundary, as well as any structural damage, calculates the amount of risk.
| Category | Japanese knotweed risk categories (4 being the highest risk) |
 | Japanese knotweed is more than 7 metres away from habitable space, conservatory and/or garage, either within the boundaries of this property or in a neighbouring property or space; and/or Japanese knotweed is causing serious damage to outbuildings, associated structures drain, paths, boundary walls and fences and so on. Further investigations by an appropriately qualified and/or experienced person are required. |
 | Although Japanese knotweed is present within the boundaries of the property, it is more than 7 metres from a habitable space, conservatory, and/or garage. If there is damage to outbuildings, associated structures, paths and boundary walls and fences, it is minor. Further investigations by an appropriately qualified and/or experienced person are required. |
 | Japanese knotweed was not seen within the boundaries of this property, but it was seen on a neighbouring property or land. Here, it was within 7 metres of the boundary, but more than 7 metres away from the habitable spaces, the conservatory and/or garage of the subject property. |
 | Japanese knotweed was not seen on this property, but it can be seen on a neighbouring property or land where it was more than 7 metres away from the boundary. |
 | No presence of Japanese knotweed whatsoever. |
The Law Society TA6 Property Information Form
In February 2020, the Law Society’s TA6 Property Information Form was amended to increase the burden on sellers to indicate whether their property is impacted by Japanese Knotweed.
If this information isn’t available, vendors should take the required measures to learn more. This may entail hiring a professional business, such as ourselves, to do a survey on the property.
Failure to declare Japanese Knotweed has resulted in a slew of misrepresentation claims against sellers.
Japanese knotweed survey price
Within an accredited Japanese knotweed survey will be the following:
- In-depth site inspection and survey from a qualified Japanese Knotweed Surveyor
- Neighbours Inspected – where applicable
- Written Quotation
- GIS CAD Site Plan
- Survey Images
- RICS Risk Category Rating
- Mortgage Compliant
Typically our surveyors charge £280.00 – inclusive of VAT
Want to know more about a Japanese knotweed survey report?
Knotweed Removal aims to provide the most up-to-date information, help and advice for YOU to make informed decisions. If you are unsure or uncertain about how to proceed, please reach out to us and we will gladly come back and advise you as best we can.
Governmental advice can be found here and the UK law covering the removal of Japanese Knotweed as stated under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 can be found here.
The best means to contact us is via our email – hello@knotweedremoval.tips
Do not forget we have a library of blogs covering many areas relevant to Japanese Knotweed, our free downloadable How-to Guides and Product Reviews on the latest methods being employed to eradicate or remove Japanese Knotweed.
Knotweed Removal, UK
