Something that you should be aware of when you are buying land or property, is Japanese Knotweed. This invasive plant is not native to the UK but was collected and prized in the 1800s by Victorians who had a love of exotic plants. Unfortunately, it has become a nuisance to gardeners and to the environment and is certainly something to keep an eye out for if you are buying any land in the UK.
The good news is that Japanese Knotweed has to be declared by law if it is present on a property that is for sale. This means that the buyer has to be made aware that they are buying land that has it on. However, although you may not initially think that buying land with Japanese Knotweed on is a good idea, this isn’t necessarily the case.
If you have a limited budget for a property, having Japanese Knotweed present can affect the price of a property and make it more affordable. However, before you go ahead and buy a bargain, make sure that you have the money to get the Knotweed eradicated by a professional contaminated land remediation company.
If you are a business or a developer that is looking to buy some land, then it is also worth considering contaminated land. This is because the Government will pay land remediation relief to cover the costs of cleaning up the land, so you will not find yourself out of pocket for doing so.