I was hit with a £4,000 bill after discovering invasive plant – it’s NOT Japanese knotweed and our surveyor missed it
A HOMEOWNER was slapped with a huge £4,000 bill after discovering an invasive plant had spread across her garden.
The costly plant, which’s not to be mistaken with Japanese knotweed, was completely missed by her surveyors.
Leah Jones bought her terraced home unaware that the bamboo plant growing in her back garden was a ticking time bomb.
It had spread underground, crisscrossing beneath her patio and artificial lawn, with new shoots emerging metres away.
The bamboo plant has now left Leah with a massive bill just months after moving in.
Leah said: “When we bought the house, we had no idea of the problems bamboo can cause, and our surveyor didn’t mention it.
“It’s going to cost us several thousand pounds to have it removed next month, and the disruption to the garden will be huge.
“Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t buy a property with bamboo – I’d insist the seller have it removed first.”
Leah’s situation appears to be a growing issue for UK homeowners – the hidden threat of bamboo infestations.
Unlike Japanese knotweed, which is subject to strict legal requirements during property sales, there is no obligation for sellers to declare the presence of bamboo.
This means home buyers like Leah are often left to deal with the problem themselves after moving in.
Bamboo can be extremely invasive and damaging.
The plant spreads through long underground rhizomes that can travel up to 10 metres, potentially causing harm to lawns, patios, and even neighbouring properties.
Plant specialist and Environet Director, Emily Grant, said: “Nobody wants to inherit a stressful and expensive issue when they buy a property.
“This is frequently happening with bamboo as there is no legal framework to protect buyers, as there is for Japanese knotweed.”
Experts claim to have seen cases where homeowners have “barely unpacked their bags” before discovering the bamboo infestation in their new home.
Emily added: “In addition to potential damage to their own property and garden, buyers need to consider the risk of a legal case from a neighbour if the bamboo encroaches into their property.”
Because Leah was unaware of the infestation, by the time the family noticed the shoots spreading, it had already taken over much of the garden.
The removal process will require digging up large sections of the patio and lawn, as well as excavating the root systems to prevent the bamboo from returning.
What's the solution to bamboo that is running rampant?
There really are only two solutions: “removal” or “containment” with root barrier (bamboo barrier).
Herbicide treatment is possible for small shoots, but wouldn’t work on a large established stand of bamboo.
Removal
Can be highly labour intensive.
There is a need to remove the main plant, often using a stump grinder for the area under the main plant, followed by chasing out any remaining rhizome.
Containment
If you’ve got bamboo, at a minimum, you should contain it!
By blocking it you’ll do that; however, this will require a specialist root barrier that is extremely flexible with a high puncture resistance to prevent invasive rhizomes.
A barrier with a puncture resistance of at least 4000 Newtons CBR is recommended.
CBR (California Bearing Ratio) relates to the force that can be applied to the material, before it will puncture or fail.
Leah’s fear is that if left untreated, it could encroach into neighbouring gardens, potentially sparking legal disputes.
With 8% of UK homes now estimated to be affected by bamboo, and a 50% rise in bamboo removal enquiries related to property sales in the last six months, awareness is starting to grow.
But many home buyers are still caught off guard, like Leah, by the extent of the damage it can cause.
It typically costs around £3,500 +VAT to remove bamboo from a residential property.
As she prepares to have her garden excavated, Leah hopes that other home buyers will be more vigilant and avoid being left with a nasty – and expensive – surprise.
She said: “I hope by raising awareness we can prevent this from happening to other home buyers who may have no idea what they’re taking on.”
Home buyers should be aware of the plant and take necessary precautions, ensuring thorough checks are made before completing a purchase, as the consequences of ignoring it can be both financially and structurally devastating.
It comes as another Brit has revealed her bamboo “nightmare” after a neighbour has insisted she pour diesel over her plants.
The most invasive plants in the UK
Several non-native species have been introduced to the UK over the years. These are the most problematic plants to look out for in your garden.
Japanese Knotweed
It is an offence against the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Act to grow Japanese Knotweed.
It might not be poisonous, it is extremely fast-growing and can seriously damage buildings, paving and structures.
Giant Hogweed
It might look rather attractive, but Giant Hogweed can be pretty dangerous.
The plant’s sap is toxic and can cause burns or blisters if it comes into contact with the skin.
Himalayan Balsam
Himalayan Balsam is another plant you need to keep your eyes on.
It produces an array of pretty pink flowers, but one plant is said to be able to spread 2,500 seeds, that are “launched” over a distance of seven metres.
And like other invasive plants, Himalayan Balsam wipes out other plants, growing up to three metres high, drawing out sunlight for smaller plants.
New Zealand Pigmyweed
New Zealand Pigmyweed is an aquatic plant that can cause havoc in still water, such as lakes and ponds or even slow moving water, such as canals.
It also impacts animals, such as frogs, fish and newts, as it can form a dense mat on the water’s surface, therefore starving the water of oxygen.
Rhododendron
An incredibly beautiful plant, loved my many gardeners, but the Rhododendron is technically classed as an invasive specie due to its rapid growth in woodlands.
Unlike other invasive species mentioned on this list, it’s not recommended to completely remove or kill Rhododendrons but instead take extra care to manage their growth, trimming and pruning them regularly.
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