Knot Moving: Desperate Family Can’t Sell Home Because Of ‘Monster’ Knotweed Next Door

A family cannot sell their home because of the “monster” sized plant growing in the property next door.

The house next to Nasreen and Sajid Akhtar’s home is overrun with invasive Japanese knotweed, a gardener’s worst nightmare.

The couple, who live in Birmingham, have been unable to sell their home because of the ghastly growth next door.

They haven’t sold their two-bedroom terraced house despite 20 viewings with three separate agents.

When they tried to remortgage the property, their application was denied because of the knotweed next door, which is threatening the foundations of a number of properties, including their own.

The alien weeds can grow 20cm a day and have taken over the back yard of the couple’s elderly neighbour..

MORE: Notting Hill Carnival ends with 440 arrests over bank holiday weekend
MORE: Calls To Improve Diabetes Care As Amputations Hit Record High

Mrs Akhtar, 42, a business consultant for an energy company and a mother of two, had her own survey report carried out in a bid to remortgage, but was told it was blocked by the invasive plant.

The Japanese knotweed is overgrown.

“It is putting my future and my children’s future on hold and it is totally out of my control,” she said.

“I can’t do anything about it.

“It is entering my garden but I can’t sell, I can’t remortgage and I can’t have a three-bed house for my children despite working all my life.

“I can’t do a normal thing like selling my house despite working hard all my life.

“I can’t do any of this because I have knotweed growing next door.

It is feared the plant could affect the foundations of several properties.

“Until it is gone they can’t lend me - or others - the money.

“It is upsetting. I want to move on in my life.

“It’s not even my garden so I don’t see why I should pay.”

She bought the house 14 years ago and rented it out until she moved in with husband Sajid, 38, four years ago.

They put it on the market at £150,000 in May last year but each potential sale fell through.

Nasreen Akhtar has been unable to sell her home.

Liz Carroll, assistant director at Family Optima, the housing association which owns the house next door, said: “Although it is a tenant’s responsibility to maintain their garden as part of their tenancy agreement, as a responsible landlord we take the removal of problems such as Japanese knotweed very seriously especially as it can cause damage to buildings.

“When we are aware of Japanese Knotweed we can and do offer help and assistance to our customers if they need it.”

She said a garden specialist has been booked to view the affected property this week, and that, if confirmed to be knotweed, the removal of the plant will begin as soon as possible.

(Pictures: SWNS)