Jeff Smith MP has welcomed the announcement that Manchester City Council have been granted powers to take action on ‘To Let’ boards.

Following a motion passed in 2018, the council started the process of identifying six trial areas and asking landlords and letting agents to remove their boards on a voluntary basis. The six areas included parts of Old Moat, Withington and Fallowfield – all areas with a large student population and a high concentration of To Let boards.

Now, the Council has been given permission by the Government to remove the rights of letting agents to display To Let boards outside their properties.

Speaking about the announcement, Jeff said:

“Along with local Councillors and residents, I have been calling for action to be taken over the blight of ‘To Let’ boards for some time. Multiple To Let boards are not only unsightly, but they can attract crime and are unnecessary in the modern world of online letting adverts.

Ideally, I’d like to see the ban extended across the city but I am pleased that the Government have listened and granted Manchester the power to tackle this issue in the worst affected areas, like some of our neighbourhoods in south Manchester.”

You can find more information on the ban, including the areas it covers here.