Two estate agents prosecuted

In the first case, Staines Seymour Ltd pleaded guilty to seven offences of breaching advertisement control by displaying estate agent boards on properties that were not for sale or rent, advertising not only charity events but also their business.

Mrs D'Costa (part owner) represented the company and pled mitigating circumstances. The court gave credit to Mrs D'Costa for appearing and therefore reduced the amount of fine to £295 per offence, rather than the usual penalty of £440. The court also awarded a victim surcharge of £826 and costs against them in the sum of £2,400. The total of £5,291 will need to be paid to the court by 1 October.

The Frost Partnership (Berkshire) Ltd did not attend court but the magistrates agreed to hear the case in their absence. They were found guilty of 14 offences of breaching advertisement control by displaying estate agent boards on properties that were not for sale or rent, advertising charity events and their own business.

As the company failed to attend the magistrates fined them £440 per offence, a victim surcharge of £,2464 and costs against them in the sum of £2,363. The total of £10,987will need to be paid to the court by 9 September.