South London estate agents are the latest to face on-the-spot fines for leaving “for sale” signs up too long.
Southwark council has warned agents they could be fined £100 a time if the boards are still up within two weeks of a property being sold. It said the aim was to reduce “clutter” in streets, after complaints from residents.
From February 1, the council will hand out fixed penalty notices to agents who do not comply. Councils have powers to target unauthorised boards under planning laws but the FNPs are quicker to enforce.
The move was backed today by the National Association of Estate Agents. Mark Hayward, the association’s managing director, said: “It’s bad practice for estate agents to use ‘for sale’ signs as advertising tools once a property has been sold. Currently, agents can leave them up for up to 14 days once a property has been sold.
“Those agents who leave them up for longer and choose to ignore these planning regulations are in danger of prosecution.”
A report last month indicated a 10 per cent increase in estate agents setting up shop in Southwark. Separate figures from Foxtons showed a 13 per cent rise in property prices in the borough last year, with the average home selling for just under £730,000.
The council said agents breaching the rules would be given a warning and a fixed time to remove the signs. Failure to comply would result in a fine.
Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration and new homes, said: “Residents have told us they don’t want to see their streets and estates cluttered with these signs.”
An investigation by Trading Standards in the borough more than two years ago showed that a quarter of estate agents’ boards were unauthorised.
Camden council introduced similar FPN fines last year and Wandsworth has banned boards around Lavender Hill, Clapham Junction, Balham and Putney town centres after complaints from residents.
