$500 fines for open house signs not an attack on Brampton real estate agents, councillors say

There’s more fine-tuning to be done before Brampton brings in new rules to crack down on unsafe and discarded open house signs – rules that were requested by real estate agents and aren’t an attack, city councillors say.

“We’re not attacking or ‘on’ anybody, we all want to get this right and do what’s right,” Brampton Wards 2 and 6 Coun. Michael Palleschi said during a city council meeting on Wednesday.

City staff have been working on a proposed stand-alone Open House Sign By-Law, and comes more than six months after Brampton City Council discussed possible fine increases for derelict real estate signs left across the city.

The proposed bylaw would introduce fines of $250 for displaying an open house sign outside the permitted time, $300 for placing signs on a centre median, and $350 for displaying more than two signs at the same intersection.

Fines would reach up to $500 for displaying more than six signs for a single property, and for failing to comply with an order.

And while Palleschi and Wards 9 and 10 Coun. Harkirat Singh say real estate agents were among those who first requested stand-alone open house sign rules, some have seen the move to regulate problem signs as an attack.

Palleschi says the proposed rules are designed to make an “even playing field” for realtors across Brampton,”and, most importantly, de-clutter some of the intersections that are inundated with open house signs or any kind of signs.”

“There’s a lot of good real estate agents in Brampton that educate new homeowners about what they need to look out for and what they need to make sure that they have when purchasing the house…I want real estate agents to ensure that, when they’re selling a home in Brampton, they’re educating their clients on what the roles and rules and responsibilities are of home ownership in the City of Brampton.”

In terms of timeline, no firm dates have been set for when the bylaw could be put in place, but city staff have been instructed to consult with real estate agents and come back to council with an updated report.

READ MORE: ‘Ridiculous’ open house and real estate signs could lead to bigger fines in Brampton, councillors say

The open house sign bylaw is expected to generate some $10,000 in city revenues this year, according to a report.

The bylaw would see the city set up an authorized storage and disposal process for open house signs with a 30-day cycle that allows for unclaimed signs to be destroyed without notice or compensation. The bylaw will also “provide stakeholders with clear direction in a timely format,” the report says.

Brampton has been fighting a battle for years against “nuisance” signs that break city bylaws, and has introduced a maximum $2,000 fine for politicians who break rules during election cycles.

The city says nuisance signs are any type of advertising sign that doesn’t follow the City Sign Sleeve Program, which has over 100 designated sleeves placed throughout the city for residents to post signs.