Injurious weeds: how to make a complaint
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-01)

Use this form between 1 April and 30 September to complain about an infestation of injurious weeds where there is a risk those weeds will spread to your land.

Natural England is not currently dealing with any new injurious weeds complaints at this time.

Complete this form if the landowner or occupier does not take action as set out in the guide Stop ragwort and other harmful weeds from spreading (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/stop-ragwort-and-other-harmful-weeds-from-spreading).

Before you complete the form

Natural England will only investigate complaints about the threat of injurious weeds spreading to land used for either:
- keeping or grazing horses and other livestock
- producing hay or silage for livestock
- other agricultural activities
The 5 injurious weeds stated in the 1959 Weeds Act are:
- Common Ragwort (but not other types of Ragwort, such as Oxford, Hoary and Marsh Ragwort)
- Spear Thistle
- Field Thistle
- Curled Dock
- Broad-Leaved Dock
You must have made reasonable efforts to contact the landowner or occupier (https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry) where the weeds are growing, and given them suitable time to respond.

When you can make a complaint

You can make a complaint from 1 April to 30 September.

You cannot make a new complaint between 1 October and the end of March. This is because weeds die off for the winter and cannot be seen on a site inspection. Any new complaints made during this time that are not about an open valid case will not be reviewed.

Natural England will aim to respond to valid complaint forms within 10 working days.

Other ways to complain

You can also make a complaint by email or post.

Natural England is not currently dealing with any new injurious weeds complaints at this time.

Email the form to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) or post it to:

Horizon House Deanery Road Bristol BS1 5AH

Action landowners must take

If the complaint is valid and the weeds are considered high risk, Natural England will write to the landowner or occupier asking them to remove the weeds by a specific date.

Landowners or occupiers are usually asked to clear the weeds within 28 days from the date of the letter.

During June, July, August and September, landowners or occupiers will be asked to clear the weeds within 14 days.

Weeds considered low risk

If weeds are considered low risk, Natural England will not usually take action straight away but will ask you to:
- continue to monitor the spread of the weeds
- contact an adviser again within 12 months if you think the risk of weeds spreading is increasing
Your personal information

If Natural England acts on your complaint, it will not usually reveal your identity to the occupier of the land you have complained about.

However, in some circumstances Natural England may be legally required to reveal your name to the occupier of the land concerned. This means we cannot guarantee your anonymity.

After the deadline

If the landowner or occupier says they have cleared the weeds by the date specified, and you do not object, Natural England will take no action.

You can inform Natural England if the landowner or occupier has not cleared the weeds. You should do this within 2 weeks of the date specified. In these cases, Natural England will inspect the land.

Land outside England

For complaints or enquiries regarding land in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, contact the relevant authority.

Horses and livestock

If injurious weeds have already spread to land where horses or livestock are kept, this is an animal welfare issue and Natural England will not investigate further.

Contact the RSPCA, British Horse Society or Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), who have animal welfare officers and may investigate:
- RSPCA: xx-xxxx-xxxx
- British Horse Society: xx-xxxx-xxxx
- APHA: xx-xxxx-xxxx
Non-native plants

Non-native, invasive plants are not listed under the 1959 Weeds Act.

These include:
- Japanese Knotweed
- Himalayan Balsam
- Giant Hogweed
We have no regulatory powers to control these plants.

For advice on invasive non-native plants, read How to stop invasive non-native plants from spreading. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-the-spread-of-harmful-invasive-and-non-native-plants)

Contact the landowner or occupier

Railway land and embankments

Network Rail 1 Eversholt Street London NW1 2DN Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx

Motorways and trunk roads

High­ways Eng­land National Traf­fic Oper­a­tions Cen­tre 3 Ridge­way Quin­ton Busi­ness Park Birm­ing­ham B32 1AF Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

All other roads

Contact your local Highways Authority. Find details of your local Highways Authority (https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council).

You must not enter railway land or verges alongside motorways to confirm whether weeds are there or to remove them. You must have the owner’s permission to enter other land. You should wear protective clothing whenever you handle injurious weeds.