Estate agent board regulations

Advertising available properties on the market to grab the attention of potential buyers and tenants can be difficult. Well-designed estate agent boards can help.

They can showcase which of your properties are available and display your brand colours and logo – to help those interested associate the house with your letting agency.

They’re also subject to strict regulations, however. Our guide will help you find out more about these rules and how they can affect your estate agent sign design.

What are estate agent boards?

Estate agent boards are corrugated plastic signs that are displayed outside a property that is for rent or sale. They are normally posted and tied to railings or property walls with the intention of advertising to passers-by that a property is on the market.

These signs usually contain lettering such as ‘For Sale’, ‘To Let’, ‘Sold’, alongside the estate agent’s name, logo, and brand colours.

They’re a great way for estate agents to market available properties in their area.

What are the rules for estate agent boards?

When designing a sign, you need to be fully aware of the rules and regulations for displaying estate agent boards. These have been outlined in the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 – find the full legislation here.

We’ve collated a few of the most important rules to remember.

Boards can only be hung on the property they relate to

This seems like a no brainer, but you can only hang up your estate agent signage board on the property it relates to. This is to stop unauthorised posting on nearby houses.

Only one board can be displayed per property

You can’t overload a single property with multiple boards. That’s unless you’re advertising several flats in a complex, though it’s best to check with your local council to see what their rules are on this.

Signs must be removed 14 days after a letting has been agreed

If you have an estate agent board on the property that is available for let, it must be removed from the property no more than 14 days after the new tenants have signed their agreement.

Boards must not be larger than 0.5 square metres

There are estate agent board size rules too. If your ‘To Let’ board or ‘For Sale’ sign is hung on the property that is available on the market, the largest signage board sign you can use is 0.5 square metres. If you’re advertising a commercial property, this can be up to 2.0 square metres.

Source: https://www.legalforlandlords.co.uk/3144-2/

Why are these regulations in place?

As with all forms of outdoor advertising, rules for estate agent boards are in place to help filter false advertising claims and potentially harmful advertisements.

In the past, there have been occasions of estate agents breaking regulations surrounding signage boards – to the point where authorities have had to get involved. In December 2013, Cheltenham council sent a warning letter all estate agents in the area, concerning the governing of the display of signage boards.

After the formal warning, it was discovered that several estate agents were not completely adhering to the regulations set in place. As such, the authorities advised that there would be “no further gentle reminders”, and that continuous breaches would result in them taking further legal action.

Each city district has its own local authority to decide the local regulations surrounding estate agent boards. For example, Leeds City Council created the ‘Letting Board Code’ in January 2013 to clearly outline the rules and regulations for the display of estate agent boards around the city.

Before hanging your estate agent sign on any of your properties, make sure you’re fully aware of the specific rules and regulations for your area.

How will this affect my estate agent sign design?

Because of these regulations on size and content, you will need to consider which images and messages you want to display on boards before finalising your design. This way, you’ll be able to make the most of the space you have.

Here are a couple of design tips:

• Don’t use too many images – while using images can capture the attention of potential buyers and tenants, you don’t want to use too many. Stick to a company logo and perhaps a background image with text on top.
• Be short and sweet with text – if you only put a few words, there’s a chance your selling point won’t be put across. Use too many, and you risk the chance of passers-by not taking in your message. Simply say what status the property is at and include your company name and contact details.
• Stick to your brand colours – people make associations with colour on print marketing. Help them associate your estate agent sign with your brand by choosing colours that are on your company logo and premises signs.

At Solopress, we have the products to help get you started. Choose signage boards and Correx signs from us and you can start designing your estate agent board today – with a super-fast turnaround on your order.