Scary stuff isn’t it? This was first bought to our attention in a telegraph article that was published on the 16th of February 2015 by Dan Hyde for the Telegraph (to read that article please click here).
The long and short of this breaking news story is that land owners are now without power to stop environmental authorities tackling the invasive weed.
What does this mean for property owners?
It means that pest control services will not require your permission to enter your private land and property. If your knotweed infestation is posed as a “significant threat”, you may find environmental services on your private land.
Land and property proprietors have already been stripped of their right to decline access after solicitors contended that this type of move was essential to protect the British countryside. Individuals who are not able to comply are going to be committing a criminal offence.
Nicholas Paines, of the independent Law Commission, which recommended the reforms to ministers, said they were “proportionate and necessary”.
“Some invasive plants and animals are capable of causing significant damage to property and costing a great deal to control and remove,” he said.
“Early detection and eradication are essential to protect native species and minimise damage to the environment.”
Japanese knotweed, the fast spreading garden plant, are classed as “invasive non-native species”. this is because Japanese knotweed will damage buildings and drive away other species.
The new powers were granted as part of the Infrastructure Act, which has gained Royal Assent. Under the legislation, the Environment Agency, Natural England or Forestry Commissioners will be able to issue “special control orders” to force land owners to remove invasive species, or enter the land if such a move is deemed “proportionate”. Land owners will be able to appeal to a tribunal and ask for compensation for damages.
A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “These control orders are intended only be used as a last resort in the exceptionally rare cases where we are unable to gain access to a property to remove recently arrived invasive non-native species, rather than long established and widespread species.
“Invasive non-native species pose a serious threat to our environment and the economy. Their economic impact in the UK alone has been estimated to be at least £1.8 billion a year.”
Discovering Japanese Knotweed on or around your property can be quite distressing. Knotweed Services UK understand that no one wants to be told their property is worth less because of an aggressive weed in their garden however Japanese Knotweed will inevitably devalue your property. Eradicating it yourself would be very difficult and would require lots of time researching the plant properly. It would also require you to purchase expensive equipment, that’s why we strongly suggest using a specialist contractor such as ourselves. We have the professional training and experience to effectively eradicate any Japanese Knotweed infestation.
Knotweed Services UK are PCA approved. The PCA works with government departments, provides training and qualifications, establishes industry guidelines and works to improve outcomes across all the sectors it represents for “the damp, waterproofing, wood preservation and invasive weeds industries”. As a member of the PCA we are required to adhere to strict standards in order to receive PCA membership. The application for membership is detailed and thorough. It is for these reasons that any company approved by the PCA can be trusted to provide the most effective solutions for Japanese knotweed removal. To find out more about the PCA please click here.
Please watch the video below to find out the benefits of choosing a PCA approved Japanese knotweed contractor:
If you are trying to sell your property and your surveyor finds Japanese Knotweed on their initial report you are sure to run into problems. The process may be delayed or cancelled all together. This does not have to be the case. In order to sell your property you may need a management plan to be in place; this plan will show that you are dealing with your Japanese Knotweed infestation and that it will not be a problem by the time the plan is completed. We will create a personal management plan for every customer. The plans are very in depth and are backed by our warranty meaning you can sleep easy knowing that your infestation is being taken care of.
If you are a homeowner who has found Japanese Knotweed on or around your property let us know as soon as you can. The sooner we know the sooner we can eradicate your Japanese Knotweed. Or if you are surveyor and need a management plan to be created we can also do this for you, saving you the time.
