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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take down a slimming world poster stand outside of my house?

57 replies

InkedGreen · 01/09/2019 06:48

Well it's not my house yet. But something I've put an offer on has a slimming world poster chained to a lamppost right outside my house with a bike lock. In a metal frame like an A.

It makes it look like the person in the house is part of SW.

Aibu to cut it and remove it? If they want an advert they should pay for the bus shelter down the road imo.

OP posts:
livelaughcheese · 01/09/2019 06:49

Report it to the council once you're the owner.

steff13 · 01/09/2019 06:55

I'd call the local Slimming World chapter first and ask them to remove it. Will the area that it's located be part of your property?

Original poster
InkedGreen · 01/09/2019 07:09

No it's not on my property, it's council land. But it's a corner house so it definitely looks like the person in the house put it there

OP posts:
SushiGo · 01/09/2019 07:11

Report it to the council, they may well do it for you (especially if it gets in the way of grass cutting or drivers seeing safely around the corner)

steff13 · 01/09/2019 07:12

If it's council property, are you sure you would be ok to take it down without asking the council first?

MumApr18 · 01/09/2019 07:12

Maybe it belongs to the person currently in the house? Or one of the neighbours who has an agreement with the current occupant? SW is franchised so each individual "leader" has their own marketing stuff.
I would definitely just remove once you're in!

unitednations · 01/09/2019 07:15

I don't think councils allow advertising like this on ' street furniture ' such as lampposts etc.

Once moved in I would take it down

Strugglingtodomybest · 01/09/2019 07:16

It makes it look like the person in the house is part of SW.

I wouldn't think that, if it's any help. In our village, all notices get attached to lamp posts and telegraph poles, I would never assume that they were anything to do with the person who happens to live in the house behind.

TixieLix · 01/09/2019 07:16

Well it's not your house yet if you've only put in an offer so none of your business yet and you'd be out of order to remove it. Maybe the person in the house runs a SW group? These A frame signs are usually put outside the venue during the times the group is being run. Does the sign give the date and time of the local group? Usually they also have the name and number of the consultant running the group too. If you become the owner of the property then at that point you can contact the local group and ask for it to be removed. If you Google SW it will tell you where/when the local groups are being held.

Original poster
InkedGreen · 01/09/2019 07:18

It doesn't belong to the person in the house as it's a empty property and has been for 8 months.

It's not just a poster on a street lamp. It's a double sided big thing on the floor in a A type frame

OP posts:
Ilikethisone · 01/09/2019 07:23

Deal with it when the time comes. When you own the house, call them an ask them to remove it.

If you cut it down and remove it, a new one might appear. Or they may tell you they have council permission (unlikely).

Theres better ways to deal with this. And isnt really you problem yet.

oreosoreosoreos · 01/09/2019 07:27

It's unlikely they have council permission. Ours is quite hot on fining for things like that.

HeronLanyon · 01/09/2019 07:27

If your offer is accepted tell your solicitor that the pavement outside is instructed by an advertising a frame (this isn’t from the sound of it a small notice attached to lamp stand type of thing). Ask solicitor ask direct question about it if vendors - either direct and/or via the property information form they have to fill in - in any event at a very early stage.
Also Ask your sol or you yourself contact the council for advice about it. In my local authority a frames aren’t allowed without a licence (like restaurant tables and chairs). This to keep street furniture to a minimum for wheelchair users, visually impaired and additionally here, a conservation area. We do have some which are allowed but which are only allowed outside of linked premises and have to be off pavement outside of business hours etc.

Whatever you find out then consider whether you want to proceed with purchase. May seem small to thing to some but you are bothered by it. I would be too (irrespective of what the a frame outside of my house was advertising). It may in the end not bother you but you need info first.

FWIW I would assume an a frame chained to a post definitely was connected to adjoining premises. Very unlikely little notice pinned somewhere.

Good luck op.

HeronLanyon · 01/09/2019 07:28

Obstructed not instructed.

crosspelican · 01/09/2019 07:33

I was going to tell you not to be such a pre-emptive nimby, but actually there's no harm bringing it up with the solicitor, because it may well reveal something about the dynamics of the street that might make you consider whether you want to live there (a bullish "my way or the high way" neighbour who makes people's lives a misery with their Slimming World street advertising!). Or it could just be something that nobody on the street has got around to reporting to the council/SW yet.

Original poster
InkedGreen · 01/09/2019 07:37

Thanks the solicitor is a great idea! Glad I posted this

OP posts:
EngTech · 01/09/2019 07:37

Raise it to the Council

womenspeakout · 01/09/2019 07:39

It's not your house yet, you may not even get it, why are you bothered about this already?

MidweekObscurity · 01/09/2019 07:52

They've possibly been doing it because they know the house is unoccupied. Have you any idea how long it's been there? I'm pretty sure it would be considered fly posting. Our parish council would be all over this, but would probably contact the local SW first and tell them to take it down.

www.environmentlaw.org.uk/rte.asp?id=48

cantfindname · 01/09/2019 07:53

Many councils are very strict about the usage and placing of A-boards. Report it and they may well get it moved.

merrymouse · 01/09/2019 07:58

Sensible to contact the council and/or ask your solicitor to investigate, but it isn't your house, and even if the poster is there illegally it's likely that the A frame belongs to one of your neighbours.

If you just appoint yourself as the poster police and move it without knowing who it belongs to or why it is there, you risk alienating a neighbour before you even move in.

Orchardgreen · 01/09/2019 07:59

It’s easy to report using Fixmystreet

www.fixmystreet.com/

I’d be concerned it’s a hazard for visually impaired pedestrians.

AlwaysCheddar · 01/09/2019 08:04

Tell the council!

ShirleyPhallus · 01/09/2019 08:07

Slimming World is one of the biggest cons out there. Ditto Weight Watchers.

No wonder you don’t want to be associated with them, just cut the board off

Mouikey · 01/09/2019 08:12

It would more than likely need advertisement consent as well as permission from the highways authority (likely county council). You can therefore report to planning enforcement for a breach & county. You don’t have to live at the address or have any association with the area to do this.

Whether either would take action would depend on their resources.