--- title: Cumberland unsightly property rules and how to report question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Cumberland?" place: Cumberland, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/cumberland category: Bylaws, noise and complaints owner: municipal owner_body: Village of Cumberland sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/unsightly-property/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/unsightly-property.json" --- # Cumberland unsightly property rules and how to report **Question:** How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Cumberland? **Short answer:** To report an unsightly or overgrown property in Cumberland, call Bylaw Enforcement at 250-336-2291, email bylaw@cumberland.ca, or fill in a complaint form at the Village Office. Anonymous complaints are not accepted. A ticket for unsightly property is $1000 ($500 if paid early). **Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Cumberland, https://cumberland.ca) **Cost:** Ticket $1000 ($500 if paid early). If the Village does the work, the owner pays the abatement fees. **How long:** A compliance order gives a reasonable time to fix the problem. The Village page does not state how long. **Where:** - Phone: Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control, 250-336-2291 - Email: Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control, bylaw@cumberland.ca - In person: Complaint form at the Village Office, 2673 Dunsmuir Avenue, Cumberland, BC (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) ## Key facts - **What counts:** An owner or occupier must not let property become or remain unsightly: rubbish or unsanitary conditions, stagnant water, noxious weeds, uncontrolled growth, dead trees or bushes, uncontained compost, insect or rodent infestations, overflowing rubbish, graffiti visible from public places, or a derelict vehicle, boat, RV or trailer stored on a landscaped portion of the property. - Source: [Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 1210, 2024, s. 4.1, 4.2](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bylaw-1210-Nuisance-Abate-Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "An owner or occupier of PROPERTY must not cause, permit, suffer, or allow the PROPERTY to become or remain UNSIGHTLY." … "an ACCUMULATION of NOXIOUS WEEDs." … "an ACCUMULATION of uncontrolled growth, dead trees, dead" … "h) the parking or storage of a DERELICT VEHICLE, boat, other recreational vehicle, trailer or other accessory on a landscaped portion of PROPERTY." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **How to report:** Call 250-336-2291, email bylaw@cumberland.ca, or complete a complaint form at the Village Office. Anonymous complaints are not accepted. - Source: [Bylaw Compliance, Bylaw Compliance page](https://cumberland.ca/bylaw-compliance/) - Official wording: "Unsightly premises" … "To register a complaint with the Village, you may call 250-336-2291 or drop into the Village Office during office hours and complete a complaint form." … "The Village does not accept anonymous complaints." - Source: [Contact, Email Contacts](https://cumberland.ca/contact/) - Official wording: "Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control: bylaw@cumberland.ca" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **What happens next:** A bylaw officer may issue a compliance order giving a reasonable time to fix it. If not done, the Village may enter and do the work at the owner's cost (abatement fees), which can be added to property taxes if unpaid. An order or fee demand can be appealed in writing to Council within 10 days of being served. - Source: [Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 1210, 2024, s. 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 7.2](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bylaw-1210-Nuisance-Abate-Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "requiring that the owner or the occupier bring the PROPERTY into compliance with the provisions of this Bylaw within such time as the BYLAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER considers reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances." … "may, at all reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, enter the PROPERTY and bring about such compliance at" … "that the cost of such work shall be imposed and invoiced as" … "ten (10) days of the COMPLIANCE ORDER being served in" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fine:** Unsightly property and each listed condition (rubbish, standing water, noxious weeds, growth, infestation, graffiti, derelict vehicle): $1000 ($500 if paid early). - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1053, 2017 (consolidated August 2025), Schedule I, Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 1210, 2024](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Bylaw-1053-Municipal-Ticket-Info-CONS-Aug-2025.pdf) - Official wording: "Unsightly Property 4.1 $1000 $500" … "Accumulation of Rubbish 4.2(a) $1000 $500" … "Graffiti 4.2(g) $1000 $500" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Bylaw:** Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 1210, 2024 - Source: [Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 1210, 2024, s. 1.1](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bylaw-1210-Nuisance-Abate-Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as the “Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 1210, 2024”." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works The Village of Cumberland's [Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 1210]() says an owner or occupier must not let property become or remain unsightly. That includes rubbish or unsanitary conditions, stagnant water, noxious weeds, uncontrolled growth, dead trees or bushes, uncontained compost, insect or rodent infestations, overflowing rubbish, graffiti visible from public places, and a derelict vehicle, boat, RV or trailer stored on a landscaped part of the property. Unsightly means visible from a public place or nearby private property. ## Steps 1. Call 250-336-2291, email bylaw@cumberland.ca, or complete a complaint form at the Village Office. Anonymous complaints are not accepted. 2. A bylaw officer may issue a compliance order giving a reasonable time to fix the problem. 3. If it is not done, the Village may enter and do the work at the owner's cost. ## Good to know - Abatement fees can be added to property taxes if unpaid. - An order or fee demand can be appealed in writing to Council within 10 days of being served. - The ticket is $1000 ($500 if paid early) for unsightly property and for each listed condition. - Enforcement follows Council's Bylaw Compliance Policy and is complaint-based. ## Official forms and pages - [Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 1210, 2024 (PDF)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bylaw-1210-Nuisance-Abate-Bylaw.pdf) - [Bylaw Compliance, Village of Cumberland](https://cumberland.ca/bylaw-compliance/) ## Related questions - [Cumberland noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/noise-rules.md) - [Cumberland bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/bylaw-fines.md) - [Cumberland RV, boat and trailer parking rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md) - [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/unsightly-property.md) - [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/unsightly-property.md) - [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/unsightly-property.md) - [Powell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/unsightly-property.md) - [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/unsightly-property.md) - [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/unsightly-property.md) ## Sources - [Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 1210, 2024 (PDF)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bylaw-1210-Nuisance-Abate-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Bylaw Compliance, Village of Cumberland](https://cumberland.ca/bylaw-compliance/) (read 2026-11-08) - [Contact, Village of Cumberland](https://cumberland.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-08) - [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1053, 2017 (consolidated August 2025) (PDF)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Bylaw-1053-Municipal-Ticket-Info-CONS-Aug-2025.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Cumberland. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/unsightly-property/_