Japanese knotweed

Japanese knotweed was introduced into the UK during the Victorian era, first appearing in displays at Kew Gardens. It was then shared around the country and, at the time, it was praised for its ability to be easily cultivated and deemed suitable for many garden enthusiasts.

However, by 1981, it had been recognised as an invasive species by the government, due to its potential to damage drains and other underground infrastructures. It has been a topic of immense interest in the media ever since.

What to do if you find Japanese knotweed on your land

If you find Japanese knotweed present on land that belongs to you, then you should seek expert legal advice at the earliest opportunity. Its presence can have long-term ramifications when you come to sell, insure or remortgage your land. The removal of Japanese knotweed can be challenging and costly, and will need to be carried out by a verified, professional company.

You are responsible for making sure the plant doesn’t establish itself or spread from your property to someone else’s land. In the event that it does intrude onto nearby land, this may give rise to a civil dispute as well as potential criminal penalties under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. You will understandably be very worried if you have identified Japanese knotweed on your land. However, our expert Japanese knotweed lawyers are here to help so that the issue is dealt with as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Advice on where you stand

Japanese knotweed is often identified after the purchase or during development of the land. If the previous landowner failed to disclose the presence of the plant when you purchased the land, we can work with you to go through all the facts and discuss the process of pursuing a claim against the previous owner or owners.

With our expert Japanese knotweed claims team, if the presence of Japanese knotweed was overlooked by a surveyor during their inspection, there could be the potential for a professional negligence claim. If your land has been affected by Japanese knotweed spreading from neighbouring land, we may need to investigate whether any actionable nuisance or trespass claim may be pursued.

Your Japanese knotweed specialists

We have a strong track record of settling disputes involving Japanese knotweed, and we can walk you through the entire process from formal identification to providing advice on how to remove the plant, determining whether a claim can be filed against another party, and if so, helping you pursue that claim.