ECONOMIC REGENERATION & PLANNING DEPARTMENT
Swansea ‘To Let’
Signs
- A Voluntary Code for
Advertisers
CITY AND COUNTY OF SWANSEA • DINAS A SIR ABERTAWE
Background
 Concerns expressed regarding proliferation of
letting boards in areas with a high proportion
of residential properties
 Has a detrimental visual impact
 Emphasises transient nature of area
 May flag up to criminals properties which are a
potential source of ‘easy pickings’
Legislative Background
 Town & Country Planning Act 1990 makes
provision for restricting or regulating the
display of advertisements
 The Town & Country Planning (Control of
Advertisements) Regulations 1992 sets out
the circumstances when advertisements
can be displayed – includes ‘To Let’ signs
Current Restrictions
 Not more than one advertisement (either single
board or two joined boards)
 Indication premises has been sold or let only by
adding statement to existing board
 Advertisement to be removed within 14 days of
let
Current Restrictions
 Size limits : single board - 0.5 square metre
two joined boards - 0.6 square metres
 Maximum projection from building : 1 metre
 No illumination
 Character or symbols no more than 0.75m
high
 No higher than 4.6m above ground level.
Aim of Council
Council is looking to landlords to abide by a
voluntary code which:
 Controls the visual impact of ‘To Let’ Boards
 Allows landlords to legitimately advertise
their properties
Criteria of the Code
 Letting boards will be permitted from
January 1st to September 30th (inclusive)
and prohibited from October 1st to
December 31st (inclusive).
 Only one board per building
 The board mounted flush to the wall above
the front door, or if not possible, flush to the
wall on the street frontage elevation. no
higher than first-floor window sill level.
 white background and be 34cm x 48cm or
48cm x 34cm.
Criteria of the Code
 One company logo per board not exceeding one
third of the overall size of the advertising board.
Logos and text in black and any one colour provided
it a single uniform colour and not fluorescent.
 No Boards marked by “Let By”, “Let”, “More wanted”
or similar wording
 One board per landlord/agent per street, or if
properties have different numbers of bedrooms,
one board for each property with a different
number of bedrooms, up to a maximum of three
per street, as long as the number of bedrooms is
specified on the board.
Criteria of the Code
 Letting boards removed not later than 14 days
after the granting of the tenancy and not
displayed other than in the calendar year for
which the tenancy is available.
Implications
 Successful adoption will reduce adverse
impacts of proliferation of ‘To-Let’ Boards.
 Not illegal to display signs within limits of
advertisement regulations and no formal
action can be taken by the Council against
such advertisements.
 However, if the situation remains, an
application can be made to Welsh
Government for powers to control letting
boards
Conclusions
 Looking to work with letting
agents/landlords to achieve the aims of
the code.