AN ESTATE agent in Basingstoke is running a competition which they hope will help stop the amount of estate agent boards placed ‘randomly’ across the borough.

Martin & Co Basingstoke, who rent and sell properties around the town, are encouraging residents to send in photos of sale or to let boards that are "not where they should be".

READ MORE: 'Ugly, unnecessary, eyesore': Resident left frustrated at the amount of estate agent boards 'wrongly placed'

Andrew Sheldon, a spokesperson from Martin & Co Basingstoke, said: “The competition is meant to be a bit of fun because we could see residents have become increasingly frustrated and annoyed at the number of these boards placed where they do not even relate to the properties that are for sale.

“It is not only against the highways code but it also looks terrible having all these boards where they should not be.”

The news comes after the Gazette reported that father of four Spencer Cleary, who lives in Hatch Warren, become increasingly frustrated with the sheer number of boards planted on random land.

He said the advertising boards are just "ugly, unnecessary and an eyesore".

Mr Cleary said he has seen several boards across Basingstoke including Danebury Road, Cluddesden Lane, Beggarwood Lane, Long Cross Lane, Gershwin Road, Quilter Road, Vivaldi Close and Novello Close.

Andrew said that many blocks of flats have multiple boards outside them for months or even years, which is “not nice for anyone to see.”

Andrew added: The idea was to have a bit of fun because sometimes you see these boards up that look like they are advertising land or road signs.

“We put our boards up and they are only up for a few weeks, once the property has been sold or let then we remove the boards and that is how it should work.”

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Martin & Co Basingstoke are asking residents to send in photos of the boards they find in the wrong place and tag Martin & Co Basingstoke on Facebook or Instagram.

Andrew hopes the competition might deter other estate agents keeping boards up for so long.

The winner will be announced on Monday, February 14, and will be given a £100 Amazon voucher.

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