New guidance abolishes Japanese knotweed ‘seven-metre rule’

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published a new Guidance Note for surveyors that has abolished the ‘seven-metre rule’ valuers use when determining whether Japanese knotweed poses a threat to a property.

The industry body has issued a 36-page guidance note that “reflects an improved understanding” of the fast-growing weed, which can sometimes make a mortgage application or selling a property more difficult.

The move comes following a 2019 report by the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee where MPs said mortgage lenders’ approach to Japanese knotweed is “over cautious”.

RICS’ new guidance states: “The so-called ‘seven-metre rule’ focused more on what has been demonstrated to be an overstated risk of Japanese knotweed to buildings, rather than its sometimes-serious impact on amenity.”

Read the full article on Property Industry Eye | JANUARY 28, 2022 | MARC DA SILVA