Bamboo is a popular plant in British gardens that’s often used to create privacy and shade. The plant is known for its upright canes and green foliage and is often planted near fences and walls to create privacy and section off parts of the garden.
While the plant is popular, some varieties of bamboo can be invasive and can quickly spread.
In fact, invasive bamboo is increasingly being flagged by surveyors as an issue when affected properties are bought and sold which is forcing sellers to either take action to remove the plant or accept a lower offer on the property to reflect the cost of removal.
Invasive plant specialist Environet recorded a 55 percent annual increase in enquiries for bamboo removal relating to property transactions between June and December 2023.
The spike in numbers indicates that buyers are becoming more aware of the risks associated with bamboo and are insisting that the plant be dealt with professionally.
First time buyer Lois Connelly had to deal with this problem when buying her first home in Bristol.
The NHS worker was in the process of buying a terraced house in autumn 2023 when her Homebuyer Report raised an issue with bamboo in the front and back gardens, advising her to seek expert advice.
She said: “It was my sister who spotted the bamboo initially when we viewed the property. It had been planted directly into the ground in both the back and front gardens.
“Although it had been cut back, we could see it had spread and was growing right up against the house on both sides.
“When the surveyor flagged it up on his report, recommending that it be checked by an expert, I realised I was going to have to do something about it.”
Environet, which undertook a survey, found that the bamboo was a “running” variety which was already posing a threat to pipes and drains. The plant had also begin encroaching on a neighbouring property.
The first time buyer asked for the price agreed to be reduced to fund the professional removal of the plant.
The vendor refused at first as they felt the work was unnecessary. It was only when Lois withdrew her offer that the seller agreed to reduce the price to cover the cost of removal.
Lois added: “The bamboo was already on the run and it was only a matter of time until it started causing damage to the property. As it was already encroaching into next door’s garden, I was also worried about the risk of a legal case against me as the new homeowner.
“To me, this situation really highlights the lack of awareness around invasive bamboo, as even the seller’s estate agent didn’t seem to recognise the problem at first.
“I would advise anyone buying a property with bamboo in the garden to have a professional survey done and if necessary, be prepared to walk away if the seller won’t resolve it.”
Many people don’t realise certain varieties of bamboo can push through brickwork, drains, patios and cavity walls. The plant can even grow through cracks and weaknesses in concrete.
Bamboo is removed professionally by excavating the root ball from the ground and removing every long lateral rhizome. The whole removal process typically costs around £3,500 +VAT.
If there are any rhizomes left in the ground, they will regrow via new shoots emerging from the nodes that grow along the stem.
Nic Seal, founder of Environet, said: “In my view, bamboo is at least as destructive as Japanese knotweed, due to the astonishing rate at which the runners grow, enabling it to spread and cause damage more quickly.
“Surveyors are flagging the issue much more frequently than they were a couple of years ago and buyers are rightly insisting that bamboo infestations are properly dealt with.
“In addition to damage to the property and garden, buyers need to consider the risk of a legal case from a neighbour if the bamboo has encroached into their property, which could be expensive to resolve.”
When selling a home, the homeowner is required to declare if there is Japanese knotweed on the property when completing the TA6 Property Information Form.
However, bamboo does not need to be declared which means homebuyers need to be vigilant when viewing homes.
Buyers should watch out for canes which have been cut back, or new shoots emerging from the ground.
A surveyor should be able to flag a bamboo infestation that could either damage or encroach on a neighbour’s property. A professional bamboo survey will determine the extent of the infestation and estimated removal costs.
