Having a garden is one of the most desirable features of a potential home for many people, and rightly so, the mental and physical benefits of having a garden are well-reported.
As you would expect, such a desirable addition to the home comes at a price.
The garden can be home to some destructive species of plants.
There are some plants and trees that can devalue your home, and in some cases make it extremely difficult to get a mortgage on that property.
For example, having Japanese Knotweed in the garden, or even on adjacent land, may devalue a house between 5-15% according to research by www.knotweedhelp.com
Even if you are not planning on moving any time soon, it makes sense to be aware that there are 7 plants and trees that could potentially damage the structure of your home, concrete paths, patios, or drains for example.
Not to mention fines or legal action that could be taken against you if you fail to control such plants.
As a buyer, you need to be aware that the cost of removing invasive plants can run into many thousands of pounds.
So, in this week’s home moving blog, we look at the plants and trees that can damage your home, potentially stop you from buying or selling a home, or could leave you facing legal action and a fine.
You may also like to read: The Pros and Cons of Buying a House With a Garden. Is having a garden too much hard work and expense or will it massively improve your quality of life? In this guide, we look at why having a garden is essential for some people and why it is a nightmare for others.
Plants That Property Surveyors Look For
Bamboo shoots – just one of the plants that your surveyor will be on the look-out for
When the survey of your prospective new home takes place, the surveyor will inspect not only the structure of the property but will also take a good look around the garden.
This is because some plants have the ability to cause not only structural damage but damage to the soil around your home which in time could cause problems with the building or infrastructure around it.
The garden may also contain plants that are harmful to pets and humans.
Trees whose roots could make the foundations of the home unstable or could lead to subsidence.
Japanese Knotweed which if present, many mortgage lenders will not give a mortgage on the property.
Climbing plants such as wisteria and ivy which can lift roof tiles, damage rendering, and mortar joints, and potentially cause damp issues in the home.
Toxic plants such as rhododendrons or laburnum will be highlighted on the surveyors’ report.
Harmful plants such as giant hogweed which can cause skin burns will also be recorded on the report.
The surveyor will also highlight any other plant-related issues that you should be aware of.
Let’s look at some of those plants mentioned above in more detail:
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Japanese Knotweed is considered so dangerous to the structure of a building that most mortgage lenders will refuse to lend on such a property where it is found, or even if it is found on adjoining land.
It spreads so deeply, widely, and rapidly that it is incredibly difficult to eradicate without professional help, and the cost of removal can be eye-watering.
Japanese Knotweed is such a problem for home sellers and buyers that we have dedicated a whole guide to just this one plant that you may like to read: Japanese Knotweed: All You Need to Know.
Giant Hogweed
Giant Hogweed
If you are selling or buying a riverside home then you may well have giant hogweed as this is this plant’s most common habitat.
Where Giant Hogweed is present a buyer will usually reduce any offer they make to take into account the cost of its removal.
Whilst Giant Hogweed will not cause structural problems, it is a plant that is harmful to humans.
The sap is known to cause your skin to become extremely sensitive to sunlight and can cause skin blisters, burns, and loss of pigmentation.
Giant Hogweed can be identified fairly easily as it looks like common cow parsley, although as the name suggests, is far larger and can grow up to 5 meters high and 2 meters wide.
It is fairly easy to remove Giant Hogweed just by pulling up the plants when they are young, the best time being May when the soil is moist and the plant is big enough to be pulled up by hand.
IMPORTANT: Ensure that you never allow Giant Hogweed to come into contact with your skin. Always wear gloves, cover arms and legs, and ideally wear a face covering.
NOTE: Giant Hogweed is a controlled waste and can only be disposed of at a licensed landfill site. The best course of action is to burn or compost it.
Climbers such as ivy and wisteria have the potential to get into weak spots of render or mortar, lift roof tiles, and damage drainpipes and guttering.
Removing ivy is a fairly straightforward job as it will just pull away from the wall but you should also treat the roots with a weed killer to prevent them from regrowing.
There is no controlled waste order regarding ivy but burning or composting is a safer option.
Himalayan Balsam
Himalayan Balsam
Similar in looks to Japanese Hogweed but only growing to a height of a couple of meters, Himalayan Balsam is an extremely aggressive and prolific weed.
The main problem with Himalayan Balsam is that it spreads so quickly and widely that it suppresses native plants, robbing them of light and the soil of nutrients.
Each plant is believed to contain between 800 and 2,500 seeds and the seeds can still be fertile up to two years after the plants’ removal.
The good news is that it is fairly easy to remove Himalayan Balsam from your garden. The plant can simply be pulled from the ground but you should keep an eye out because, as previously mentioned, the seeds will remain fertile for up to 2 years and can regrow.
The best time of year to remove Himalayan Balsam is early to mid-summer before the seeds have matured.
Himalayan Balsam can be composted after laying them out in the sun to dry for a few days.
Willow trees have shallow roots which spread out over vast distances in search of water and nutrients.
The spread of those roots is vigorous and may well cause damage to the foundations of the property, garden walls, and even neighbouring properties, as well as have the power to lift paths, and driveways, damage septic tanks, and underground pipes.
Generally, a willow tree needs to be at least 20 metres away from any walls, buildings, paths, driveways, septic tanks, or underground pipes.
If a home has subsidence caused by the roots of a willow tree then it is unlikely that the lender will offer you a mortgage on that property.
Should your home survey reveal subsidence then your first course of action will be to get a soil and root analysis done and have a structural engineer examine the investigations.
Always consult experts before doing anything to a willow tree. Felling the tree may cause the ground to swell and cause even more damage to your or your neighbours’ property, whilst pruning it may have no effect at all.
Oak Trees
Oak Tree
Oak trees can drink up to 1000 litres of water a day and their roots spread out in search of that water. As they soak up the moisture in the soil the soil can dry out and shrink, with the result being subsidence.
Oak tree roots are believed to be responsible for the largest number of building subsidence incidents in the UK.
Always seek professional advice before doing any work on an oak tree.
Poplar trees
Poplar Tree Leaves
Poplar tree roots grow very aggressively and spread extremely quickly.
If the roots find easy access to drains or the foundation of a property through cracks then severe damage can result.
If there are poplar trees within 30 meters of the home then call in an expert to assess whether any damage has been, or is likely to be, caused by the Poplar roots.
It is not a foregone conclusion that if there are trees near a building that the roots will cause damage.
Roots will naturally find a way around any obstacle and will always take the path of least resistance.
Always err on the side of caution though and get the experts in to assess what, if any, damage is present and what is likely to be causing that.
You may also like to read: How to Soundproof Your Home and Garden. Whether you are a considerate neighbour and want to dampen the noise you create or whether your neighbours’ noise stops you from fully enjoying your garden, this guide offers lots of useful advice on how to soundproof your garden and home.
Trees and the Law
Tree roots often cause subsidence
Whilst the vast majority of trees will cause no damage to an adjacent property, in the event that they do then you may find yourself facing some hefty costs.
That said, the majority of subsidence claims are settled between insurers, providing they have both signed up to the ABI Domestic Tree Route Agreement.
However, if you have no house insurance, then you would be liable for any costs that are incurred.
Note that even if you are a tenant, but can reasonably be expected to take steps to prevent or stop the damage being caused, then you could also be liable.
It is also possible that if after moving into a new home you discover subsidence or root damage then you can still claim against your neighbour if it is their tree causing the issue.
What Losses Could Someone Claim for Tree Root Damage?
The cost of pruning roots if the tree owner has failed to take reasonable steps in a reasonable timeframe.
Any loss suffered as a result of the property losing value due to subsidence or root damage
The costs for any remedial work such as underpinning
The costs for any surveys or reports by experts such as surveyors or arborists
Any additional expenses incurred as a direct result of work being carried out to rectify the situation such as hotel fees if the person affected has to vacate the home during repairs
If you find yourself potentially facing action from a neighbour because of your trees, always contact your insurer and take legal advice immediately.
You should check with your local council that the tree does not have a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on it which will prevent you from doing anything to the tree without prior permission.
If there is no TPO and the tree is on your property then you need no such permissions.
You may also like to read: How to Move a Garden to Your New Home. Not only does a garden entail hundreds of hours of work but also takes huge amounts of money to get it the way you want. There may also be plants or ornaments that have sentimental value to you or are just too nice to leave behind. In this guide, we look at the best ways to pack and move things from your garden.
Common Invasive Plants UK
Rhododendron
About 8% of the plant species found in the UK are believed to have a negative impact on the environment.
Many of these are covered by UK and EU law (which at the time of writing is still applicable).
Visit www.rhs.org.uk to find an exhaustive list of invasive plants and the applicable laws concerning their sale, growing, or planting.
www.gardenerworld.com also has a very useful list of garden plants, which although invasive, are also readily available to buy at garden centres or may already be in any garden that you are thinking of buying.
FAQ About Invasive Plants
Are forget-me-knots invasive? Yes, and can quickly spread out of control.
Are lupins invasive? Yes, and are known to disperse their seeds over a vast area.
Is it illegal to grow bamboo in the UK? Whilst it is not illegal to plant bamboo in your garden it is increasingly being viewed as a garden menace and many landowners have faced legal action from neighbours over its spread.
Is it illegal to grow thistles? Whilst not illegal to grow thistles it is illegal to allow them to spread onto neighbouring land. They are specifically listed in the Weed Act 1959.
Are Rhododendrons invasive? Yes, and will grow into the available space around it smothering native species. There is also some evidence that suggests that the honey produced from Rhododendron Ponticum can be harmful to humans.
Are Overgrown Gardens a Problem for Home Buyers or Sellers?
An overgrown garden is expensive and time-consuming to put right
When you are selling a home you want to be sure that you are getting the best possible price for it and if the garden is overgrown then it will surely affect the price and even put buyers off from making an offer.
The problem for buyers if the home has an overgrown garden is that the surveyor may miss any one of the plants that we have been looking at in this article.
The buyer would also incur the cost of having to have the garden cleared which on average costs £185 according to www.checkatrade.com
Equally, overgrown gardens may attract insects and wildlife that you would rather not have near your home. If vermin are also attracted you run the risk of them causing damage within the home and outbuildings.
Weeds also have the power to cause damage to footpaths, patios, and driveways.
An overgrown garden may also indicate that the home is unloved and no care or maintenance has been given to it which could mean expensive repair or renovation costs.
So, it is in both the sellers’ and buyers’ interest to at least ensure that the garden is presentable and accessible.
On the other hand, I once bought a house where the land was so overgrown that two outbuildings housing a vintage car and a workshop with hundreds of tools were not even on the sales details or land registry because nobody knew they were there.
It was not until after many months of clearing brambles, bushes, and dead trees that we discovered them. Every cloud has a silver lining…………
You may also like to read: How to Stage a House to Sell. In this guide, we look at not only staging the interior but also the exterior of your home to give you the best possible chance of selling your home.
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