Ads, stickers a nuisance in housing estates

I refer to the report “Stiffer fines for those who repeatedly put up illegal ads” (June 11).

Such advertisements are not confined to road infrastructure. In public housing estates, it is common to see adverts for tuition services and property transactions on railings along common corridors.

Some locksmiths paste their stickers on residents’ doors, security grilles, doorbells, windows, letter boxes and even electricity meters, blocking the readings.

Due to the strong adhesive, the stickers are difficult to peel off, and when bits are left behind, they are an ugly sight. Meanwhile, the adverts pasted at lift lobbies usually end up discarded on the floor.

To maintain estate cleanliness, we must put a stop to these nuisance adverts. Since there are telephone numbers on the adverts and stickers, town councils should contact and track down the advertisers to take action under their by-laws.

Town councils should also work with Singapore Power. If the stickers block meter readings, it should be an offence under the Electricity Act

Alternatively, town councils could follow the Land Transport Authority’s model of providing low-cost advertisement boards and follow up to ensure compliance.

They should not hesitate to fine culprits who place their adverts elsewhere instead of on a proper board provided.