Estate agents fined for putting up rogue 'For Sale' placards

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Keatons Estate Agents Limited, which is based in Mile End Road, admitted putting nine signs on properties in Hackney, without instructions to do so from the owners.

At Thames magistrates court it was fined £19,200 and ordered to pay costs of £1,573.

Robert Alan Homes, which has an office in Victoria Park Road in Hackney, was ordered to pay £7,500 after putting five boards on properties that were neither being let or for sale.The company was also ordered to pay costs of £2,000.

Hackney councillor Alan Laing said: "Plastering streets with 'To Let' and 'Sold' signs when there are no instructions to do so is blatant false advertising and environmental vandalism, which will not be tolerated.

"Hopefully these prosecutions will start to put an end to the blight of the estate agents' boards. If they fail to clean up their acts, a bylaw will be introduced to put an end to all advertising boards on properties."

Hackney Trading Standards is expected to bring more cases against estate agents in coming months.