‘Ugly’ estate agents boards are banned in West London: should Soho follow suit?

Estate agent sale signs, though very useful in alerting people to vacant properties for buy or let are also considered by many to be unattractive eyesores, which can blight an otherwise perfectly presentable street.

Well this was the view shared by two west London councils, Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea, both of who were given permission from the government to ban the boards. There is a total ban of boards in 23 Conservations Areas stretching from Olympia to Fulham and includes all estate sale signs from For Sale to To Let, Sold, Under Offer, Sold Subject to Contract and the myriad of other signs estate agents adopt to make or advertise a sale.

"This is a victory for every resident who has had to put up with multiple, tatty, ugly and large signs that make roads look cluttered and shabby," Councillor Nicholas Botterill of Hammersmith & Fulham told Londonnet.

The first ban comes into place on 27 September in Kensington & Chelsea, with Hammersmith and Fulham following closely behind on 5 October.

Do you think Soho should follow suit? Do you live, work or play in a area which is covered in estate sale signs and agree that they are unsightly? Perhaps you think they are a necessary part of an estate agents toolkit and just part of London life?