An estate agent has been fined for putting up “for sale” signs in a conservation area – contravening a ban.
Cubitt and West became the third estate agent to be fined since Brighton and Hove City Council extended the area covered by the ban last September.
The company, which has six offices in Brighton and Hove, was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £900 in costs by Brighton magistrates on Monday (16 May).
The court was told that three letters about the ban had been sent to Cubitt and West – and every estate agent in Brighton and Hove.
The letters – sent since the ban was extended on Monday 20 September last year – reminded estate agents about the extent of the ban.
“For sale” and “to let” boards put up before the ban was extended may stay until the property has been sold or let.
New boards are banned.
The area covered includes many of the streets between Sussex Square in Kemp Town to Seafield Road in Hove and affects the central residential conservation areas.
The council said that in January officials conducted a survey along Cromwell Road in Hove and noted that no estate agent boards were present.
In April during another survey of the designated area officials noted that a Cubitt and West Board was being displayed.
The council said that Cubitt and West had since decided to remove all its boards from the conservation area.
