A lettings agency and its director have been ordered to pay more than £2,500 in fines and costs for illegally advertising its business in Northamptonshire. 

Simpson and Partners Ltd were found guilty at a court case at Northampton Magistrates court earlier this week.

Despite previous warnings about displaying unauthorised signs, Andrew Simpson, director of Simpsons and Partners Ltd, pleaded guilty to flyposting on behalf of the firm. 

They were fined £1,500 and were ordered to pay costs of £1,080 and a victim surcharge of £120. 

“An investigation, following a complaint from a member of the public, confirmed that this company had broken the law by illegally advertising its business. Enforcement officers had spoken with representatives of the business on a previous occasion to explain the laws and consequences of flyposting but these warnings had been ignored and so we pursued a prosecution” says a planning spokesman for East Northamptonshire council. 

Unlawful advertising is an offence under S.224 Town and Country Planning Act 1990.