A Melbourne council has come under fire after fining a real estate agency for putting out auction signs and flags on the street.

Barry Plant Real Estate at Wantirna has received numerous fines for putting signs advertising auctions and inspections on footpaths and median strips.

The agency’s director Adam Sorrell told radio station 3AW the fines were “silly”, as he had received no complaints from the public about the flags or signs.

“They’ve fined us $500 for having an auction flag … hanging over the footpath 15 minutes prior to the auction of a home we were selling in Bayswater,” Mr Sorrell said.

He said the agency had also been fined three times in one weekend for putting sandwich boards advertising an auction and an open for inspection on a median strip.

Mr Sorrell said people could easily walk around the flags and signs, which were usually on display for 30 minutes during an open for inspection.

“Knox City Council thinks it’s good to go and make a bit of money and fine real estate agents,” he said.

The flags and signs had been “obstructing the footpath”, according to the council.

“What we got told by council was that the flag should be side on … instead of facing the street. If you did that you might as well not have it on there, because it just wouldn’t be viewed by the public,” he said.

“Drive around Melbourne on any weekend, you’ll see all the flags hanging over the footpath letting people know a property is open for inspection.

“It’s just a bit of silliness going on by Knox Council.”

Mr Sorrell also claimed the fines had doubled from $250 to $500 since last year.

Knox City Council takes in suburbs including Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Lysterfield, Knoxfield, Rowville, Scoresby, The Basin, Upper Ferntree Gully, Wantirna, and Wantirna South.

Comment is being sought from Knox City Council.