Displaying a planning notice sounds simple, and usually it is. The problems below are the ones that most often cause a delay, a re-display or an awkward question later — and each has a straightforward fix.
The instructions were not sent
The authority's instructions set the number of notices, their position, size and display period. Without them, an installer is guessing. Fix: send the instructions as issued with your request; we read them before quoting and ask if anything is unclear.
The notice is in the wrong place or cannot be read
A notice behind a hedge, facing away from the street or printed too small defeats the purpose and may not satisfy the authority. Fix: we install to the instructions — visible and readable from the street — and photograph the street position and the legible text so you can see it yourself.
Nobody can prove it stayed up
A single photo from day one does not show the notice was there for the whole period. Fix: record the display end date at the start, book the removal against it, and add mid-period checks if the site is exposed.
The notice was damaged or disappeared
Weather, vandalism and building work all take notices down. Fix: tell us (or we find it during a check); we replace or re-secure it, photograph the replacement and update you promptly. Whether the advertising period has to restart is the authority's decision — but you will have the record either way.
The installer could not get in
Locked gates, hoardings and absent site contacts are the most common reason a visit fails. Fix: send gate codes, key arrangements or a site contact with the request. If access still fails, the attempt is photographed and we rearrange.
The notice came down too early — or never came down
Removing a notice before the period ends can invalidate the display; leaving it up for months looks careless. Fix: one job covering installation and removal, with the end date recorded and the site photographed after removal.
The wording was changed
A notice must say what the authority issued or approved. Fix: we print exactly the artwork supplied and never edit statutory wording. If a corrected version arrives, the right one is printed and the earlier one is kept on file.
If any of these sounds familiar, request a quote and send the instructions — most problems are avoided before the installer leaves the depot.