---
title: Delta unsightly property rules and how to report
question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property?"
place: Delta, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/delta
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Delta
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/unsightly-property/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/unsightly-property.json"
---

# Delta unsightly property rules and how to report

**Question:** How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property?

**Short answer:** In the City of Delta, report an unsightly or overgrown property to Property Use & Compliance (Bylaw Enforcement) at 604-946-3340, bylawenforce@delta.ca or the DeltaConnect app. Owners and occupiers must not let property become unsightly. Fines start at $300.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Delta, https://www.delta.ca)  
**Cost:** Ticket $300; $500 for graffiti, dumping or ignoring an order.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Property Use & Compliance (Bylaw Enforcement), 604-946-3340
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement, bylawenforce@delta.ca

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners and occupiers must not let property become unsightly: filth, rubbish, discarded materials, graffiti, brush, building materials, clutter or disrepair. Also named: derelict vehicles, boats/trailers/RVs on landscaping or in disrepair, stagnant water, grass over 20 cm, noxious weeds, uncontained compost, unsecured abandoned buildings.
  - Source: [Delta Property Enhancement Bylaw No. 8066, 2021, ss. 4.1, 5.1, 5.2](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/209996)
  - Official wording: "contain accumulations of filth, discarded" … "An Owner or Occupant of any real property, improvements or personal" … "grass, weeds or similar ground cover to be over 20 centimetres in height;" … "the storage of a boat, trailer or recreational vehicle:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Contact Bylaw Enforcement (Property Use & Compliance): 604-946-3340, bylawenforce@delta.ca, or the DeltaConnect app. Complaints that include the person's name, address and phone number, from within 200 m of the site, get priority; complainant details are kept confidential.
  - Source: [How Can We Help?](https://www.delta.ca/how-can-we-help)
  - Official wording: "Bylaw Enforcement | Property Use and Compliance | bylawenforce@delta.ca 604-946-3340" … "you can submit a ticket through our DeltaConnect App"
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement, Priorities](https://www.delta.ca/city-hall/bylaws/bylaw-enforcement)
  - Official wording: "Information regarding the complainant is kept confidential, unless the complaint ends up in the court system."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What happens next:** A Bylaw Enforcement Officer can issue an order; the owner or occupier must comply within the time stated, or 10 business days if none. If not, the City may do the work at the owner's cost, payable within 30 days; unpaid amounts can be added to property taxes.
  - Source: [Delta Property Enhancement Bylaw No. 8066, 2021, ss. 5.4, 6.2, 6.4, 6.5](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/209996)
  - Official wording: "within a time period stated in the order, or if" … "no time period is stated, within 10 business days." … "the City, by its workers or by other persons authorized" … "within thirty (30) days of receipt of a bill for such work" … "added to and form part of the taxes payable on the property"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: $300. Bylaw notice: $300 ($250 if paid within 14 days, $350 after 28 days). Placing graffiti, dumping rubbish on private property, or ignoring an order: $500 ($450 early, $550 late on a bylaw notice).
  - Source: [Delta Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw No. 6639 (consolidated May 22, 2026), Schedule 1, Property Enhancement Bylaw](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/135301)
  - Official wording: "5.1 Permit property to become or remain unsightly $300" … "5.3(a) Place graffiti on surface visible from public place $500" … "5.4 Failure to comply with Order $500"
  - Source: [Delta Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 7009, 2011 (consolidated July 7, 2026), Schedule A](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/238336)
  - Official wording: "remain unsightly $300 $250 $350"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Delta Property Enhancement Bylaw No. 8066, 2021
  - Source: [Delta Property Enhancement Bylaw No. 8066, 2021, s. 1.1](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/209996)
  - Official wording: "CONSOLIDATED BYLAW Incorporating amendments pursuant to: "Delta Property Enhancement Bylaw No. 8066, 2021" THIS CONSOLIDATION HAS BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE ALL AMENDMENTS"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Property Enhancement Bylaw No. 8066](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/209996) says owners and occupiers must not let property become unsightly. That includes filth, rubbish, discarded materials, graffiti, brush, building materials, clutter or disrepair. It also names derelict vehicles, boats, trailers and RVs on landscaping or in disrepair, stagnant water, grass over 20 cm, noxious weeds, uncontained compost and unsecured abandoned buildings.

## Steps

1. Contact Bylaw Enforcement by phone, email or the DeltaConnect app. Give your name, address and phone number: complaints from within 200 m of the site that include these get priority. Complainant details are kept confidential.
2. An officer investigates. The City's 2008 enforcement policy says officers first try voluntary compliance by letter.
3. An officer can issue an order. The owner or occupier must comply within the time stated, or 10 business days if none is stated.
4. If they do not, the City may do the work at the owner's cost. The cost is payable within 30 days; unpaid amounts can be added to property taxes.

## Good to know

- Fines: $300 on a municipal ticket, or $300 on a bylaw notice ($250 if paid within 14 days, $350 after 28 days).
- Placing graffiti, dumping rubbish on private property, or ignoring an order is $500 ($450 early, $550 late on a bylaw notice).

## Official forms and pages

- [Delta Property Enhancement Bylaw No. 8066, 2021 (PDF)](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/209996)

## Related questions

- [Delta bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Richmond](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/unsightly-property.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/unsightly-property.md)
- [White Rock](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/unsightly-property.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/unsightly-property.md)
- [Surrey](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/unsightly-property.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Delta Property Enhancement Bylaw No. 8066, 2021 (PDF)](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/209996) (read 2026-11-05)
- [How Can We Help?, City of Delta](https://www.delta.ca/how-can-we-help) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, City of Delta](https://www.delta.ca/city-hall/bylaws/bylaw-enforcement) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Delta Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw No. 6639 (consolidated May 22, 2026) (PDF)](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/135301) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Delta Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 7009, 2011 (consolidated July 7, 2026) (PDF)](https://delta.civicweb.net/document/238336) (read 2026-11-05)

_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 City of Delta. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/unsightly-property/_