Homeowner says she is unable to sell her home as Japanese knotweed has taken over neighbour's garden

They were told Japanese knotweed had taken over their neighbour's garden, threatening the foundations of nearby properties including their own.

Mrs Akhtar, a mother of two, claimed their neighbour had warned his housing association two years ago that he was struggling to control the plants, which can grow up to 20cm a day. 

The 42-year-old, who has had an offer accepted on their new home, is now "stuck in limbo" with a house which they can't sell or remortgage.

She said: "It is putting my future and my children's future on hold and it is totally out of my control. 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."

"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."

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

In a bid to trade their two-bed home for a bigger house with a garden, they put the £150,000 property on the market in May last year.

But every potential sale fell through when buyers had a second viewing or ordered a survey.

"I think they must have known," said Mrs Akhtar, who is a business consultant for an energy company and has two sons, four and two.

Unaware of the problem and having spotted a house they wanted to buy, the couple decided to remortgage the house with Nationwide to free up equity.

They sailed through the credit checks but discovered their house was virtually unsaleable in a report following an inspection.

The report said: "There is an extensive outbreak of Japanese knotweed to the left and rear of the rear gardens of the property which is uncontrolled.

"Before the property can be considered for suitability a suitable programme of eradication and maintenance must be in place."

It added: "The extensive outbreak of Japanese knotweed renders the property unsuitable for normal lending."

Mrs Akhtar consulted her neighbour, who said he had asked the housing association to help him clear his gardens two years ago before it got out of control.

She said: "The tenant is an older gentleman and he said he contacted the council two years ago to report it was getting too much for him to deal with.

"He's fed up with it as well but they have just ignored him.

"I asked the surveyors if there was anything I could do and they said 'no, it's a big problem'. They said it grows under the foundations of houses and it travels from garden to garden and the banks won't lend on a house that has got it near it."

Birmingham City Council told her it was the responsibility of the housing association.

But despite phone calls and emails to WM Housing, she claimed staff still have not visited.

"I don't know what to do and I don't feel like I should pay for a housing association's garden," she said.

Liz Carroll, assistant director at Family Optima, part of the WM Housing Group, 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.

"We have received reports this week from the neighbour of one of our customers in Majuba Road of suspected Japanese knotweed in the back garden of one of our houses.

"We have made attempts to contact our tenant today and have booked a garden specialist to visit the house early next week to carry out tests so we can start the removal process on his behalf as soon as possible if Japanese knotweed is confirmed."