Council defends decision to ban ‘dozens of agent boards littering front gardens’
Westminster Council says action is needed to deal with "outdated and unsightly" estate agent boards.
Westminster Council has defended its controversial decision to ban estate agency boards unless permission is granted.
It says action is needed to deal with “dozens of outdated and unsightly estate agent boards littering front gardens and porches”.
Rule extension
The council currently requires estate agency firms to seek permission for boards in conservation streets. But it is now looking to extend this rule across the entire borough.
A report to the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development recommends asking the Government for a Regulation 7 Direction, which would mean estate agents have to ask for permission to erect boards.
It wants a direction that covers conservation areas permanently if it can’t secure one that covers the whole council area.
Everyone will have walked down roads with dozens of outdated and unsightly estate agent boards.”
Boards are no longer needed as most people looking for a new home use online searches, it says.
“Everyone will have walked down roads with dozens of outdated and unsightly estate agent boards littering front gardens and porches,” a council spokesman told The Neg.
“Powers to ban new boards helps us protect the look and feel of our city and encourage firms to move to environmentally friendly, digital forms of advertising.”
Online dominant
There has been some debate in the property industry about whether boards are still needed when online searches have become so dominant.
But many agents still believe they have value in alerting local people or passers-by to the availability of a property to rent or buy.
The Case for “For Sale” Boards: A Vital Tool in Property Transactions
1. Helping Buyers Find Local Properties
“For Sale” boards remain a crucial way for potential buyers to discover homes in specific areas. While online searches are common, boards provide immediate, tangible visibility to those exploring neighborhoods. They alert buyers to opportunities they might otherwise miss and highlight properties genuinely on the market, ensuring focus on specific locations of interest.
2. Promoting Local Agents and Expertise
A “For Sale” board serves as a powerful advertisement for an agent’s presence and expertise in a community. Sellers often choose agents based on the visibility of their boards, which signal trustworthiness and local market knowledge. Boards foster competition and help homeowners find agents best suited to sell their property.
3. Upholding the Right to Advertise
Property owners have the legal right to advertise their homes with boards, just as builders and contractors can promote their services. Restricting boards unfairly targets estate agents while other trades retain this right. Existing laws already govern board placement, size, and duration, ensuring they don’t become unsightly when rules are followed.
4. Ensuring Accessibility for All Buyers
Boards cater to demographics less familiar with online property searches, such as older buyers, ensuring inclusivity. Their visibility allows everyone, regardless of digital literacy, to access property information while walking or driving through an area.
5. Cost-Effective and Immediate Marketing
“For Sale” boards provide sellers with a low-cost, 24/7 marketing tool that directly engages the local community. They often prompt word-of-mouth interest and generate inquiries that online listings alone might not capture, resulting in faster sales.
6. Enforce, Don’t Ban
Rather than banning boards outright, councils should focus on enforcing existing rules to prevent misuse by rogue agents. Most estate agents follow regulations, and targeted action against offenders would address concerns about visual clutter without penalizing compliant agents or homeowners.
Conclusion
“For Sale” boards are an essential part of the property market, connecting buyers, sellers, and agents. They provide visibility, promote local expertise, and ensure accessibility for all demographics. Strengthening enforcement of existing regulations is a fairer and more effective solution than imposing a blanket ban, which undermines their significant benefits to all parties.
Estate Agency Boards are a thing of the past and estate agents will continue to defend them as a means of advertising their brands. The boards are unsightly and ruin the look of streets. Some properties have several boards on the same building which is unpleasant for neighbours and those in the building not selling. Boards are often erected with nails into brick walls which damages the facia of the buildings and garden walls which the agents never repair satisfactorily. I fully support Westminster and think the rest of London should follow their lead.