Elderly neighbours get £20,000 payout for 15-year Japanese Knotweed problem

An 87-year-old widow and her late neighbour received a £20,000 payout after battling Japanese Knotweed which had been growing in their back garden for around 15 years. In 2019, the pensioner sought legal advice from High Street Solicitors after being unaware of the severity of the weed growth in their gardens.

The terraced houses, located in Pentre Wales, were situated on a mountain and their back garden ascended gradually in height. Because of this, the widows were not able to reach the very back of their properties. Japanese Knotweed is renowned for causing structural damages and causing a wide range of issues such as blocking draining pipes and growing into small cracks or joints where it can expand and break them, Hull Live reports.

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Commonly found near railway locations, the weed was traditionally used to support railway embankments and its surrounding. If the plant has grown up to a metre onto a property or piece of land then the owners are entitled to make a claim.

In this case, the Knotweed originated from a nearby land owned by Saul Roberts & Partners - High Street Solicitors managed to file a claim against them as a result. The two cases received £20,000 in total with the 75-year-old Marilyn Prince signing her settlement just a few days before she tragically passed away.

Marilyn’s son Dave Prince explained: "My brother Robert and I are now happy that the Japanese Knotweed case has come to a close and that when the treatment has been delivered we will be able to relax in the knowledge that the issue is finally over. Chris Eccles and High Street Solicitors have been easy to work with on this case and welcome the completion