# Private Fingerpost sign outside my house advertising car valet - is it legal. ?



## Pablo74 (26 Feb 2012)

Hello,

Just arrived back from a weekend away and noticed a sign has been erected outside my house advertising "car valet". 

Can a person just erect a sign like that ?

My house is just off the main road and the sign is for a house/business up past mine

Just curious, is there a law against or at least should permission have been granted ?

Any help would be great,
Pablo


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## Dirac (26 Feb 2012)

I believe that advertising signage requires planning permission if it is fixed. However you see a lot of trailers and the like with advertising on them left by the side of the road, and I think there's a loophole being exploited as the signs are "mobile".

Stand to be corrected............

It is very annoying in my opinion that there are so many of these signs nowadays nailed to telegraph poles etc.


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## Pablo74 (26 Feb 2012)

Thanks Dirac, this sign has had a pole driven into the ground and a sign nailed to it. I look out my sittingroom window now and I see the top of it peering over my hedge.
Very annoying, any more information.


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## ajapale (26 Feb 2012)

Pablo, 

Do you live on a public street or in a private estate?

Does the car valet business have planning permission to operate at that location?

What kind of sign is it? Is it obstructing the public footpath? Is it a fingerpost sign or sandwitch board style sign? or some other class of sign?

If its a "road sign" then it is highly unlikely that the roads authority has given permission for this kind of sign. If this is the case then and it is on the public road then report it to the relevant roads authority. 

In the unlikely event of the sign having permission then, if its on the public road, it must comply in full with the traffic signs manual under the Road Traffic Acts.

What would happen if you just cut it down and disposed of it?

aj


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## Pablo74 (26 Feb 2012)

Hi Ajapale
do you live on a public street or in a private estate?

I live on a cul de sac with about 11 private houses spread up along the road. When you turn off the main road, i am the first house (hence the sign being put outside my place to catch and direct traffic up the private road).

Does the car valet business have planning permission to operate at that location? 
Not sure but I will find out. 

What kind of sign is it? 
It is a square hard plastic sign on a steal pole inbedded into the ground.

Is it obstructing the public footpath?
There is no public footpath.

Is it a fingerpost sign or sandwitch board style sign? 
Finger post sign which is not mobile.

What would happen if you just cut it down and disposed of it? 
Not sure, dont know the people as they are Polish.


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## Time (26 Feb 2012)

They are chancing their arms with the sign. I would simply remove it.


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## mark1 (26 Feb 2012)

Businesses do this everywhere, rather than get involved you should report it to the council, they will remove it and fine the owner under the litter act, I think the fine is €500.00. Alternatively ring the owner and tell him you want it removed within 24hrs or you will report it


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## Black Sheep (26 Feb 2012)

Is this just a coincidence that the sign went up while you were away. Perhaps the owner is aware that you would not like it.


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## nuac (26 Feb 2012)

that sign requires planning permission,   talk to your council


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## mathepac (26 Feb 2012)

Take it down and hide it. Next time you see them mention casually that a council van arrived out and took it away and that some lad from the council wants to talk to them.

Phone revenue and tell them that it seems an unregistered business is operating at their address, phone car-wash businesses in the area and tell them the same, phone the council and say you're worried about the extra traffic this "new business" will create in your road, and the extra pressure on safety and parking, tell the Guards the same, phone the planning department and tell them that the business is not registered for commercial rates and is using industrial quantities of water and generating industrial quantities of commercial waste and talk to your other neighbours who do not work in the car wash.


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## McCrack (27 Feb 2012)

mathepac said:


> Take it down and hide it. Next time you see them mention casually that a council van arrived out and took it away and that some lad from the council wants to talk to them.
> 
> Phone revenue and tell them that it seems an unregistered business is operating at their address, phone car-wash businesses in the area and tell them the same, phone the council and say you're worried about the extra traffic this "new business" will create in your road, and the extra pressure on safety and parking, tell the Guards the same, phone the planning department and tell them that the business is not registered for commercial rates and is using industrial quantities of water and generating industrial quantities of commercial waste and talk to your other neighbours who do not work in the car wash.



You forgot the Parish Priest too. 

OP as it's bothering you just call your local authority and allow them handle it.


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## T McGibney (27 Feb 2012)

I can't believe people are suggesting that the OP removes and disposes of their neighbour's property. That in any language is theft.


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## T McGibney (27 Feb 2012)

The anti-business tone of some of the above comments dismays me. How dare someone set up a small business in their home??? Would they be better thanked if they just signed on for the dole?


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## sam h (27 Feb 2012)

My first port of call would be to the landlord (assuming they are renting) & if no joy, get onto the council.

I had a tenant & noticed there were alot of cars at the property - he seemed to be doing them up & selling them on. So I called down for a chat & advised that the premises was for residential use only so the insurance would not be covered for commerial use. They may be subject to rates & water charges as an operating business. They would require planning permission.

I recommended that the cars be removed within 24 hours and they were. BUT I was left with a load of old oil, tyres & general junk when they did a runner a couple of months later !!


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## sam h (27 Feb 2012)

T McGibney - it is not anti business, but if everyone just decided to set up a business at home without regard for rules there would be anarchy.  A car valet with increase road traffic on a small cul de sac (11 houses) & incur large water usage which private houses are not currently paying, businesses have to pay water charges & rates & are subject to different insurance and planning.


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## T McGibney (27 Feb 2012)

They sure as hell won't be paying much rates or taxes if they sign on the dole like everyone else seems to be doing.  Why automatically presume they aren't paying water charges, rates etc?


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## MarySmyth (27 Feb 2012)

Signage required a Section 254 Licence (Planning Acts) or alternatively local authority could consider this as 'litter' and issue fine.


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## Time (27 Feb 2012)

Someone should read the definition of theft.


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## prometheus1 (15 Mar 2012)

*???*

<mod snip> lads!

what about simply going to the owner of the sign, politely asking them to remove the sign because it is bothering you and then thanking them for removing it so quickly!! or you may even suggest a better location for it? 

you might even get a free car wash!

I really can't believe the level of hostility and spite in some of the above replies (council? revenue? etc etc...), this could be some genuine person trying to get off the dole or stay off it by doing a little hard work, this person could even end up employing someone you know!

how about the posters who said to report this guy go and try the service, and if its good, go recommend it to 10 friends... maybe then he wont have to advertise? and maybe if we all invested our time giving positive recommendations instead of trying to screw each other over we'd all be better off! :/


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