Estate agent signs get the chop
More than 350 estate agent boards have been removed in Fulham in a recent blitz on illegal advertising.
Over the last three months, Hammersmith & Fulham Council has stepped up its battle against estate agents who leave their signs up at properties long after the homes have been sold or let.
According to advertising laws, boards can only be displayed where a property is for sale or for rent, and must then be removed within 14 days of the house or flat being sold or let.
The council carried out a detailed survey of the area to identify the illegal boards, focusing particularly on Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham Road, New Kings Road, and adjoining streets. Letters were then sent to the estate agents responsible for the illegal boards, giving them two days’ notice to remove them. Those left up after the deadline were then removed by the council and the companies have been charged for the work.
Councillor Greg Smith, cabinet member for crime and street scene, said: “A plethora of tacky estate agent boards can really bring down an area and brings no benefits to residents or even the estate agents themselves.
“Hammersmith & Fulham has historically had a problem with advertising of this sort and, since we introduced a ban on boards in two conservation areas 2006, we have been continually looking at ways to clear our streets of these wooden monstrosities.
“Estate agents agree that making the streets look nicer can lead to higher house prices and, while the majority play by the rules, there are the odd few that simply could not care less. This clampdown is about targetting the companies who abuse this type of advertising.”
John Horton, managing director of Horton and Garton independent estate agents in Hammersmith, said: “There are well-known ‘usual suspects’ who flout the regulations and their actions are counterproductive for agents acting within the rules.
“For sale and to let boards do work in both best interests of the client and property, by creating extra interest, but I am in favour of penalties for agents who continually ignore the law.”
The council will continue to take down illegal signs and plans are already in place to tighten up on controls in other parts of the borough. There is already a blanket ban on displaying boards in the Barons Court and Sinclair Road/Gardens conservation areas, which has proved incredibly successful.
