Buyers of new homes are being left exposed to the risk of Japanese knotweed as housebuilders are not required to complete the standard TA6 Law Society Property Information form as part of the conveyancing process.

Japanese knotweed removal firm Environet has dealt with several cases so far this year where the invasive plant has been found growing on a new build properties, where the developer is reluctant to accept any responsibility for it. It is important that anyone who has concerns that Japanese knotweed has spread to their property know what to do next. Search Japanese Knotweed UK to find out a range of information.

The TA6 form, completed by sellers, contains a direct question about Japanese knotweed, asking whether they are aware of the property having been affected by the plant, which is number one on the Environment Agency’s list of the UK’s most invasive plant species.

Housebuilders do not usually complete a TA6 form as many of the questions, concerning building alterations for example, are not relevant, while others concerning warranties and guarantees would be provided separately by the developer and covered under the standard NHBC guarantee for new build homes.

However, it is in the buyer’s interests to establish if the land was treated for knotweed prior to or during construction works, particularly as developers often clear large brownfield sites where Japanese knotweed can be rife and well established. Normally, when building on any brownfield site, it’s important to conduct a Phase 1 Environmental report to see if there is any potential risks on that site that may affect your build. Read this article here to learn more about brownfield sites. Building on brownfield sites can be a risk, so make sure to do your research on that piece of land before you begin your build. It’s sometimes better to spend more making sure your site landscape is perfect before bringing in a Custom Home Builders Sydney company to start construction. Having to stop the building project halfway through because of something like knotweed is something most people would like to avoid.

Of course, it might be smarter for some people to consider different real estate. Perhaps something similar to what can be found at cayena in Austin. But unless a solicitor asks about Japanese knotweed as part of their additional inquiries, it is quite possible that the buyer will not know that Japanese knotweed was present on the site and will, therefore, be unable to check that a professional treatment plan was implemented and the appropriate guarantees secured.