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A masterclass in good neighbourly relations

A masterclass in good neighbourly relations

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Purchasing a dream home with Japanese knotweed as well as an ongoing neighbourly dispute over encroachment…

If you discovered that the dream home you wished to buy not only had a serious Japanese knotweed infestation, but there was also an ongoing dispute with a neighbour over encroachment, would you proceed with the purchase?

Plenty of people would run a mile, but our customer Mr Ahmed took a calm and practical approach and is now happily living in his new home.

Legal disputes between neighbours over Japanese knotweed are on the rise, up 18% year on year, according to recent research we carried out with Cobleys Solicitors. This is due to growing awareness of the risks to property and recent successful legal claims for knotweed encroachment which have been reported in the media. More than ever, it is essential that homeowners blighted by knotweed take action to deal with it immediately, to avoid putting themselves at risk of litigation.

Mr Ahmed shows how, with a bit of common sense, it’s possible to buy a house with knotweed and an ongoing dispute with the owner of an adjacent property, and quickly resolve both issues.

Mr Ahmed fell in love with the house in Wokingham, Berkshire, because it suited all his family’s needs and was close to his son’s school. The seller was transparent about the knotweed, which was running along the fence adjoining the next door property. A programme of herbicide treatment had begun, but the neighbour wasn’t happy with this approach as it would take two to three years to completely remove the knotweed.

Mr Ahmed said, “I spoke with my mortgage lender, who agreed that as long as there was a treatment plan in place, they were happy to proceed with the loan, and negotiated a £10,000 price reduction to cover treatment costs and compensate me for the inconvenience. I then went ahead with the purchase at the new lower price and, to keep my new neighbour happy, upgraded to a Resi Dig Out™ treatment with Environet.  The knotweed was removed in just two days, with a ten-year insurance backed guarantee.”

Problem solved!

Robert Spaceman

“We had a large stand of bamboo removed, thinned, contained and replaced. The customer service has been first class. Joe and Jason were fabulous and kept me well informed at all times”.

5/5