Concern about the menace posed by Japanese knotweed has prompted the Science and Technology Committee to call an inquiry into the impact of the plant on the built environment. Experts, including our own founder and MD Nic Seal, will be submitting evidence in the next few weeks, along with members of the public who have been affected by the plant.

A one off oral evidence session is scheduled to take place in early 2019, which we hope to take part in, to explore the science behind the effects of Japanese knotweed and the damage it can cause to buildings. It will also investigate the impact of knotweed on mortgage lending and property valuations.

Environet welcomes this inquiry and looks forward to taking part, with our MD Nic commenting;

“I hope the inquiry can unravel the mass of false and misleading information in the public domain about Japanese knotweed. We intend to highlight our own evidence, collected over twenty years of operation, of the damage Japanese knotweed can cause to buildings. It is our strong belief that lenders are right to be concerned over the risk to property and therefore require a professional treatment plan to be in place supported by an Insurance Backed Guarantee in order to protect its value.”

If you have been affected by Japanese knotweed and would like to submit evidence to the Inquiry, please do so by completing the Written Submission form on the Parliament website, before 31st December 2018.