We’ve launched a new survey, JustCheck™ aimed at homebuyers and sellers who want more certainty on whether or not a property is affected by Japanese knotweed.

All sellers of residential property are asked to disclose whether their home “is affected by knotweed” when completing the standard TA6 Property Information Form. Since The Law Society changed its guidance in 2020, sellers who answer “No” must be sure there is no knotweed present, including rhizome beneath the ground or on adjoining property within 3 metres of the boundary. Those that provide false information risk lengthy and expensive claims for misrepresentation.

It pays to be honest

In a well-publicised legal case in Raynes Park, which concluded recently, a homebuyer successfully sued their seller when knotweed was found growing behind a shed at the bottom of the garden after they moved in. Damages and costs were awarded to reflect the diminution in the property’s value as a result of the knotweed, costing the seller, who gave false information, £230,000.

Selling with confidence

Proving a negative is always fraught with difficulty, even more so for knotweed that can be hidden underground in a dormant state. Good conveyancers will advise their clients to only answer “No” if absolutely certain, the safer option being a “Not known” answer. Sellers are therefore rightly being cautious and increasingly responding ‘Not known’ to the Japanese knotweed question.

But how does a buyer proceed when given a “Not known” answer? The simplest course of action is to commission a JustCheck™ survey. If no knotweed is identified or suspected by our surveyor, a 5-year warranty covering up to £20,000 worth of remedial work is provided as part of the JustCheck™ fee.

For the seller that wants to provide their buyer with more reassurance, JustCheck™ protection, with the warranty assigned to the new owner, can eliminate the uncertainty and allow the sale to proceed unhindered.

JustCheck™ – from £325 + VAT with a 5-year warranty covering up to £20,000 of remedial work.

Contact us today to find out more.