Knotweed: down but not out
You’d think Japanese knotweed would be a bigger threat in the spring and summer months when it can grow up to four inches a day. But where this most pesky of plants is concerned, winter presents homebuyers with a different sort of problem.
What lies beneath
During the colder months, Japanese knotweed loses its leaves and, to all intents and purposes, appears to wither and die. On the face of it, you’d think that’s a good thing; after all, at least it isn’t spreading.
The trouble for homebuyers is that this can make it more difficult for a surveyor or a seller to spot, particularly if it’s concealed beneath a layer of snow. And with up to 60% of the plant lurking beneath the ground, this could spell a nasty surprise for a buyer when the invasive weed comes out of hibernation in the spring.
An insurance solution
Isis Conveyancing offers an indemnity policy for just such a scenario. If knotweed is unearthed after the policy commences, our Japanese Knotweed indemnity provides cover for:
- the cost of obtaining a survey report from a knotweed treatment specialist
- treatment costs to eradicate knotweed at the property
- repair and restoration costs for any damage to the property caused by knotweed
- legal defence costs incurred to handle claims from a third party affected by the spread of knotweed
- any reduction in value, resulting from a claim, when your client sells the property.
For more information or to get a quotation, call us on 01603 761515, or get a quote from ICON?