10 Oct FOR SALE BOARDS

 
A ‘For Sale’ board is an excellent marketing tool for an Estate Agent to maximise exposure of a property and it is estimated it can generate around 40% more enquiries. 
Before erecting a ‘For Sale’ board, the Estate Agent must have received written instructions to sell.  The Town & Country Planning (Control of Advertisement) Regulations 1992 control the display of advertisements in Wales.  The majority of ‘For Sale’ or ‘To Let’ boards benefit from ‘Deemed Consent’ under these regulations and do not, therefore, require planning consent.  However, the boards must comply with the following criteria:

• No more than one advertising board can be displayed on the property, unless it includes two different advertisements joined together as one, back to back in cases of joint agents.

• If the property is for the sale or to let for residential use or development, then the board must not exceed 0.5 square metres in area, or a total 0.6 square metres for two joined boards.  No board advertising a property for sale can be displayed which exceeds 4.6 metres in height above ground level, except in cases of a flat/office at first floor level or above, and must not project from the face of the  building by more than 1 metre.

• If the property for sale is agricultural/industrial/commercial,  i.e. non residential use or development, then the size of the board must not exceed two square metres in area, or 2.3 square metres, if two joined boards, as in cases where there are joint agents.  In cases of sale of goods or livestock, the board must not exceed 1.2 square metres in area.

• Any board advertising property for sale or to let, must be displayed on the property to which it relates. 

• In the case of a block of flats with communal grounds, or accessed by a service road, the display of a number of boards on the communal area, or at the entrance to the access road from a public highway, would be in contravention of the legislation. 

• A board positioned on a highway verge, advertising an adjacent property, would also be illegal, as the board is not displayed on the property advertised. 

• Any board advertising a property for sale, or to let, must be removed within 14 days of the completion of the sale or granting of tenancy.  It is also not permitted to have an illuminated board.

 
Any variation to the above criteria will require ‘Express Consent’ under the regulations and a planning application to the Local Authority for its erection.
A ‘For Sale’ or ‘To Let’ board assists in the following ways:

• It is a 24 hour sales tool.
• It promotes interest from individuals who are not registered as potential buyers, in fact may not have been in the market but have always ‘eyed’ that particular property.
• It helps viewers find the property.
• It lets local people know that the property is for sale – they may be a potential buyer or they may have friends or relatives looking for properties in the area.
• It attracts interest from buyers viewing other properties in the same road or area.

 
Estate agents have the unique privilege of having ‘Deemed Consent’ for their boards and any contravention on prosecution by the Local Authority will result in a fine of £2,500 per advertisement, plus £250 per day thereafter.  Any Estate Agent ignoring the regulations, should be reported to the Local Authority Planning Enforcement Officer.