Japanese Knotweed - The Unwanted Import

Japanese knotweed Mortgage. Never heard of it? Well let me explain. The Japanese Knotwood plant is an invasive plant that has big Mortgage companies such as Barclays and Lloyd’s of London refusing to finance home loans if this plant is present on the property. The Japanese Knotweed Plant is an ornamental species that has large heart shaped leaves and beautiful flowers. It can grow 3 feet in one month and can reach up to 12 feet in height when mature. The roots spread up to 20 feet. This species is so strong it can even push up through concrete. This is the main concern for lenders. The plant can cause structural damages.

Lenders are even refusing to consider a property if the plant so much as exists on bordering land, not even on the property itself. It is driving property values down. Some home-owners have reported that the lenders have told them their property is practically worthless. It is the most invasive plant species in Britain. So much so that it is even illegal to cause it to grow in the wild.
Because of the roots spreading so far the Environmental Protection Agency has classified any soil containing roots from the plant as "controlled waste" and must be disposed of in a licensed landfill and must be buried 15 feet deep. This is to ensure there is no regrowth of the roots.

A certified Japanese Knotweed Contractor is reporting more calls every week from home-owners that want to sell but cannot because their properties are suffering from Japanese Knotwood infestations. Many contractors claim that the Mortgage companies are over reacting. They claim the weed can be dealt with and eradicated successfully if treated properly. Japanese Knotweed London contractors claim the eradication is not easy and can take time, from weeks up to a few years to completely get rid of it. This is still not influencing the lenders to extend any loans on any property that has the Japanese Knotweed plant present.

Many home-owners are being told that their property values have decreased greatly and others report that they have been told that their property is worthless. There are a couple of successful ways to eradicate the Japanese Knotweed and scientist's have suggested introducing an insect that will kill off the plant naturally. It is understandable that lenders are reluctant to put mortgages on these properties that are infested. It is not just the immediate effects but they are looking at the long term consequences of the structural damages this plant causes. Either way the property owners seem to be the ones suffering the most.