Lincoln is the latest city to be given permission by the government to implement a total ban on To Let boards.
A year ago City of Lincoln Council applied to the Secretary of State to prevent agents putting up boards in five key student areas after local officials found some roads featured boards on a quarter of all properties.
A consultation was launched and of those who responded, 85 out of 135 called for a complete ban.
The council has called the boards an ‘eyesore’ and a ‘blight’ in its public statements about the ban and has rejected the arguments of local letting agents who said people relied on the boards to find out which properties are available.
Lincoln council says potential tenants can both visit and phone branches or ‘look online’ to find properties.
“Any letting sign should be a temporary feature but, when signs are left up too long in areas containing high numbers of rental properties, they can begin to dominate the street scene,” says the council’s planning manager Kieron Manning (left).
“We became aware that some signs were staying almost all-year-round and this was beginning to have a negative effect on the look and feel of our streets.
“We are very pleased that government has listened and agreed to allow us to implement the ban. We don’t expect this to have a negative impact on the city’s rental market as searches are now mostly done online.”
Following the decision to give Lincoln the go-ahead, the ban is due to begin on April 8th this year.
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