Reading Council in Berkshire has confirmed that a voluntary ban on letting agents boards in part of the town will be made permanent – and may spread to another area.

Earlier this year we reported that the local authority in Reading had declared a voluntary ban on boards to be a success, after a pilot was staged in part of East Reading and the University area between October 2014 and the end of March this year.

A survey by Reading council carried out before the pilot found as many as 180 boards displayed at any one time in the area. A subsequent survey carried out during the pilot found a maximum of 21 boards displayed, most of which were quickly removed once the relevant agents were contacted.

This week the council confirmed the ban would be made permanent, and letting agents – who reported the earlier ban had made little impact on their business – will be asked to sign up to a ‘no boards’ agreement.

The ban applies only to lettings boards and not ‘For Sale’ or ‘Sold’ signs.

The council says it may now look at a similar ban in parts of West Reading, too.