We just bought a property on the corner of a moderately busy intersection. We have found several companies put up advertisement signs on the corner of our property without permission, and it looks trashy. Many of these are put up on the weekend and taken down afterward. Today I found eight signs for various housing developments, workout facilities, etc. I took down the signs and the posts they were on and left them on the ground. DH thinks I should have thrown them away. We are discussing putting up a sign of our own saying that signs without owner approval will be discarded, but I am annoyed about spending our money to do this. We aren't living there yet, but drive by periodically. How would you handle this?
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Weird! I'd definitely throw then away. Just like they say with graffiti, that you should paint over it immediately and after a few times, it will stop happening -- I would take the same approach here. Take signs down immediately and throw them out.
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I would toss them! Maybe send a letter to the companies?
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Take a photo of all of them first, so you can name and shame them! Can you complain to the local council with photo evidence?
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Absolutely throw them away. Your property.
Alternatively, you could print a notice and staple it to every sign for a week or so, then toss everything posted after the week is up.
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Are they on the grass opposite the sidewalk?
I asked about the policy in our town, they are supposed to ask permission and if they do not, you can remove and throw away the signs.
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Are they doing it because they know you aren't living there? I would think once you move in they will stop
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Throw them away. I'd contact the companies and tell them that they are not welcome to put them there.
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If throwing the signs away isn't working I'd get the spray paint out and paint large X's over it or the "no" symbol (circle with a line through it). That would be negative advertising for the company and maybe they'd get the message. But maybe I'm just mean lol.
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First question, are the signs actually on your property or are they on the city's property. Around where I live the first few feet closest to the road are technically city property. If it is on city property you may want to speak to your alderman or the police to see what the ordinance is for signs. If they are allowed there and you deface them, you could be held liable. Just make sure you know the law before you do anything
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pictures, social media, and a lot of emails to the companies.
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@AmeliaBedilia: I agree with your DH - you should trash them. I would also call the offending companies and tell them to stop.
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We live on the corner house and the same thing happens to us every weekend. Usually it's lost dog yard sale or church signs. I feel bad taking them down but it is unsightly. I just leave them up
interested to hear the responses.
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Make a big sign that says: "these companies suck ->" and see if they keep putting signs up.
Eta: in the long run I would think about planting a bush or tree there.
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@Meltini: Agreed. Make double sure it is within your property line. Some cities maintain easements.
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@Espion: @Meltini: From the survey, it looks like it is our property. We live in a township, and their website does not have anything like this. I searched the county's website, and don't see anything there. What else do I do?
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@AmeliaBedilia: Call the zoning office to make sure. They will probably be able to tell you. Our city does a squirrelly measurement from the middle of the road (which actually isn't the middle of the road) for so many feet into the property.
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I would take pics/document the signs. Call the companies and tell them to stop, then throw away the signs. Can legal action be taken if it is indeed your property and you have already requested that they stop?
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Even if the town or city has "rights" to part of your property, those rights do not extend to private businesses. If the city is posting something, that's one thing. But these are private businesses. I would take the signs down, call the companies and if you see someone do it again, confront them.
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@AmeliaBedilia: yes but you probably own part of the ROW, I know as an engineer I can do construction work in the ROW without an easement so I don't think this would be different. How far from the edge of the road are the signs? Is it an area that you will have to mow or will the city/township?
ETA: @lindseyinny has a point all my work is for/as the city
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@Espion: haha to squirrelly measurement this is typical
@LindsayInNY: very true.
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@jetsa: 3-6 feet. The city does not mow it.
@LindsayInNY: good point- even if the city has right of way, that is for city use. It makes no sense that I have to mow it, but private businesses can advertise. Some of the companies only put them up on the weekends, which concerns me that there is some stupid law that will let them do this.
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@AmeliaBedilia: boo. I'm sorry
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i would continue to throw them away regardless of who technically owns the property. If any of those companies complain you can deal with that, but i assume they'll just start putting their signs somewhere else
interested to hear the responses.
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23 comments