Although declaring any bamboo on your property isn’t legally necessary in the UK, if it has caused a dispute with neighbours it will potentially come up as an issue during the sales process.
Environet’s research also found that 71pc people weren’t aware that bamboo could cause any damage whatsoever.
“There was such a craze for planting it around 10 or 15 years ago, and those plants are really now coming to maturity,” explained Emily Grant, director at Environet.
A common problem with bamboo is that it spreads at a shallow level, with roots which reach across rather than down.
The roots exploit cracks or gaps, potentially causing thousands of pounds worth of damage if it disrupts foundations or services.
“You can imagine that it pops up not only in your garden, in places you didn’t want it to, but on a neighbour’s property too,” Ms Grant said.
As with most things, the earlier it is dealt with, the better.
“Removing it starts from about £3,500, but we are increasingly seeing the cost run into tens of thousands because people have ignored it,” she added.
If you are a buyer, it is worth asking when the bamboo was planted to get a sense of any potential spread and establish whether it has ever been seen on neighbouring land.
With potentially huge cost implications, asking for a reduction in the selling price or for the sellers to carry out remedial work might be appropriate.
Rhododendron
Often associated with grand estates, rhododendrons are mainly problematic because they can become enormous.
Mr Barton said: “They outcompete other vegetation for light, nutrients and space, often spreading unchecked.
“They thrive in acid soils, where certain species can create hostile environments for neighbouring plants once established. The leaf litter is extensive and slow to decompose, contributing to a large biomass layer that hinders seedling growth.”
On top of that, rhododendrons produce grayanotoxins, particularly in their younger leaves. Contact with the plant can cause skin irritation for some people and all parts of the plant are poisonous for dogs to ingest.
