About Japanese Knotweed Group: what we do

If Japanese knotweed has been mentioned on a viewing, flagged in a neighbour’s garden, or raised by your solicitor, you do not need guesswork - you need a documented answer you can act on. The real stress is rarely the plant itself. It is the uncertainty: will your mortgage be delayed, will a buyer walk away, and will you be accused later of not disclosing something you should have known?

This page is about Japanese knotweed group - what we do, how we do it, and why our service is built around property risk control rather than general gardening.

Why our work is different from “a quick look”

Japanese knotweed is a property issue because decisions get made on evidence. Buyers, lenders, conveyancers and managing agents do not want a casual opinion. They want clear site observations, mapped locations, photos, and a written statement that stands up when the stakes are high.

That is why our service starts with a defined survey product, not an open-ended visit. It sets expectations, it gives you a record you can share, and it creates a clean route into management if knotweed is confirmed.

The situations we’re built for

Most calls come with a time pressure. You might be a homeowner trying to protect value before listing, a buyer who has been told “there might be knotweed at the back”, or a landlord trying to avoid a dispute between tenants and neighbours.

We work across residential and commercial properties, but the drivers are similar: prevent delays, prevent arguments, and prevent avoidable cost. If knotweed is present, the goal is to reduce risk in a way that is recognisable in a transaction and practical on the ground.

What our survey actually covers (and why that matters)

A proper knotweed survey is not just a walk around the lawn. Knotweed commonly appears where people do not look until it is too late: behind sheds, within planting beds, along boundary lines, and through or under fence lines where responsibility becomes unclear.

Our on-site survey is structured to capture the information you will be asked for later. That includes measured observations and an evidence trail that shows what was inspected and what was found.

You should expect a survey to consider how knotweed interacts with the real layout of your property - patios, retaining walls, outbuildings, access routes, and neighbouring land. These are not academic details. They affect how treatment is planned, what access is needed, and how confidently you can answer questions during sale or refinance.

The written report: designed for transactions, not just reassurance

The report is the deliverable most people only appreciate once they are under pressure from a mortgage lender or conveyancer. We provide a detailed written report with extensive photographic evidence (20 images), mapping, and measured site observations covering gardens, beds, boundary lines, and neighbouring fence lines.

That level of documentation matters because it reduces back-and-forth. When a survey is vague, professionals ask more questions. When it is clear, the next step is clearer too - whether that is confirming no knotweed, starting treatment, or putting a plan in place to satisfy a condition.

We also commit to next-day paperwork. When you are mid-transaction, speed is not a luxury. It is often the difference between keeping momentum and watching timelines slip.

If you want to see the detail of deliverables in plain English, read Next-Day Knotweed Survey: What You Get.

Price and what it includes

We offer a defined survey product from £250 + VAT. That price is not a teaser to get someone onsite and then upsell you. It is a formal service designed to give you an evidence-based position.

The value is in what it prevents. A delayed sale, a collapsed purchase, or an argument over what was disclosed can quickly cost far more than the survey fee. The point is to replace uncertainty with documented facts.

What happens when knotweed is found

If knotweed is confirmed, your options depend on context. A small stand in a contained area with good access can be managed differently from knotweed that runs a boundary or appears to originate from neighbouring land. Similarly, a vacant site is not the same as a garden used daily by children and pets. Practical constraints matter.

Our approach is structured: we convert survey findings into longer-term management through a 5-year interest-free treatment plan and, where appropriate, a 10-year insurance-backed guarantee.

A management plan is not just “spray it and see”. It is a programme with a defined timeframe, monitoring, and the paperwork that proves what has been done. For property owners, that structure is often what restores confidence - for you, for a buyer, and for the professionals involved.

If you are comparing what a plan includes and why the timeframe is set as it is, 5-Year Japanese Knotweed Treatment Plan Explained gives a clear breakdown.

Why five years?

Knotweed management is a long game because the plant’s underground system can persist and regenerate. Cutting corners tends to backfire: regrowth means additional cost, repeated disruption, and a longer period where you are answering uncomfortable questions in property paperwork.

Five years is not an arbitrary number. It is a realistic programme length that allows treatment and monitoring to work with the plant’s growth cycle and the realities of access, seasonal changes, and site use. It also creates a clear record over time, which is exactly what property professionals look for when they need evidence that risk is being controlled.

The guarantee - what it is and what it is not

People hear “guarantee” and assume it is a simple promise. In property, what matters is the form of the guarantee and whether it is meaningful to third parties.

Our service includes the option of a 10-year insurance-backed guarantee linked to the treatment plan. This is designed to provide reassurance beyond the life of the works themselves and to support transactions where buyers and lenders want continuity.

Guarantees are not all equal. Coverage depends on terms, site compliance, and the nature of the programme. If you are weighing up what a guarantee is likely to cover and what questions to ask before relying on it in a sale, What does a knotweed guarantee really cover? is a useful reference.

Why “safe disposal” is part of the conversation

Knotweed is not garden waste you can treat casually. Mishandling can spread it within a site or introduce it to new areas. It can also create liability if material is moved off-site without appropriate controls.

We place emphasis on professional removal and safe disposal where removal is the right route, because protecting your property value also means protecting you from avoidable mistakes. For many owners, this is the hidden benefit of using a specialist - you are not just paying for labour, you are paying to reduce the chance of the problem escalating.

How we help in mortgage and conveyancing scenarios

If you are in a live transaction, the question is usually not “can you treat knotweed?” It is “can you provide documentation that keeps this sale or purchase moving?”

Lenders and conveyancers can ask for specific information: evidence of presence or absence, a professional assessment of risk, and a formal plan if knotweed is confirmed. If you are unsure what your lender is likely to accept, Knotweed Survey for a Mortgage: What Lenders Want explains the typical expectations in practical terms.

The important point is timing. Leaving knotweed questions until the last minute is how chains break. An early, documented survey gives you options - you can negotiate with clarity, budget properly, and show that the issue is being managed.

What you can do before we attend

You do not need to dig, cut, or disturb anything to “help”. In fact, that can make identification harder and can spread material around the site.

If you are waiting for a survey, the best preparation is access. Make sure we can reach the back of borders, behind sheds, and along fence lines. If you have any prior paperwork (old treatment notes, neighbour correspondence, photos from previous seasons), keep it to hand. It can help us understand history, but it never replaces what we see and measure on-site.

Who we serve across the South of England

We support property owners and professionals across London and the surrounding counties - Surrey, Kent, Essex, West Sussex, and Hampshire. The needs vary, but the expectation is consistent: fast answers, formal documentation, and a plan that stands up in the real world.

You might need confirmation that there is no knotweed before you proceed. You might need a report that your solicitor can file. Or you might need an active management plan with a guarantee so a buyer feels safe.

If you need clarity, not opinions

If you are looking for a specialist partner who can identify knotweed properly, survey it in a transaction-ready way, and put a structured plan behind the findings, Japanese Knotweed Group Ltd can help - start with the survey and take it step by step from there at https://www.knotweedgroup.co.uk.

The most helpful move is also the simplest: get the site inspected early, while you still have choices and timelines on your side.