How Do Mortgage Lenders Respond to Japanese Knotweed on a Property?

When purchasing a house it is obvious that the potential buyer would get a surveyor to check the condition of the property and estimate its value.  But what if the surveyor discovered the house (which the buyer thought would be his/her perfect home) contains Japanese Knotweed? How would mortgage lenders respond to a property with Japanese Knotweed?

Japanese Knotweed is a plant brought into the UK during the 19th Century for its ornamental beauty.  The plant has changed from being an ornamental plant to being an invasive species that can do serious damage to the physical structures of a property and as a consequence of this it almost certainly affects the decision on whether mortgage lenders will lend on the property.

If Japanese Knotweed is found within or close to the boundary of a property it can lower the value of the property and some mortgage lenders will be reluctant to lend on the property – however  it is not all doom and gloom –  many mortgage lenders will consider lending if there is evidence of a fully funded professional treatment or eradication programme being in place for the property.

One of the most common Japanese Knotweed treatment plans is a Knotweed Management Plan (KMP) drafted in accordance to ‘The Knotweed Code of Practice’, 2013 (version 3).  It is usually the property seller’s responsibility to arrange for an appropriate Knotweed Management Plan and the buyer should satisfy themselves that it is fit for purpose. Ideally it should be provided by a member of the PCA. (Property Care Association).

When arranging a Knotweed Management Plan it is important to use a Property Care Association accredited Japanese Knotweed specialist.  This ensures that the provider of the Knotweed Management Plan adheres to strict standards of professional expertise set by the association.  Each mortgage lender will have their own lending policies and any presence of Japanese Knotweed on a property is going to affect their decisions. There is a possibility that the lender will retain funds from the buyer until the Knotweed has been treated or removed.

Japanese Knotweed Ltd is the UK’s LARGEST PCA accredited Japanese Knotweed Remediation Company. We pride ourselves for our professional experience, quality of service, customer care and competitive quotes.
If you suspect Japanese Knotweed on your property or on a property you are looking to purchase, please speak to us on 01794 330 196 or visit www.japaneseknotweed.co.uk

Alex Evans

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Prime London property stock falls 3.4% in Q3

The latest Prime Central London Stock Index by Benham and Reeves has revealed that the number of properties listed for sale at £2m or above fell by -3.4% during the third quarter of 2026, leaving 3,778 prime homes on the market. While Kensington, Notting Hill and Chelsea recorded modest increases in available stock, several established prime…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

When a chain breaks: how bridging can keep a sale moving

Every agent knows the call. A buyer further down the chain has pulled out or their mortgage has stalled, and a sale you have worked on for months is about to fall apart. Often the person caught in the middle could still buy if they did not have to wait for their own sale. That…
Read More →
Breaking News

Four in ten homes see asking price reduced

More than four in ten homes currently listed for sale across England have already seen their asking price reduced, according to the latest market analysis by eXp UK, with the number of reduced properties climbing by 3.6% since August. eXp UK analysed property listings across England to establish how many have undergone an asking-price reduction.…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 19/10/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Last week Sourced Living began rolling out Genifea across its branches, the platform’s first commercial CRM integration. By Author Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR Andrew Stanton spoke to founder Pragati Dhingra about what the Genifea platform actually does, where AI fits in an estate agency,…
Read More →
Breaking News

Mixed signals in UK construction as contract awards rise, but starts fall

Detailed planning approvals declined 16% against the preceding three months and fell 28% lower than last year, a warning sign for future work. Main contract awards dropped 19% against the last three months but climbed 25% year-on-year, a sign that major schemes are being committed. Project starts took the steepest fall, declining 26% against the…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Estate Agents Brace for Rising Compliance Costs

Nearly two-thirds of compliance leaders in estate agencies and property firms expect budgets to increase amid growing pressures Just 6% expect cuts, down from 31% last year, while 63% now work weekly overtime on AML The majority of senior compliance professionals in UK property firms and estate agents expect their budgets and teams to grow…
Read More →