---
title: Houston unsightly property rules and how to report
question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Houston?"
place: Houston, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/houston
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Houston
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/unsightly-property/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/unsightly-property.json"
---

# Houston unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** In Houston, report an unsightly property through the District's online Service Request Portal. The Nuisance Bylaw covers unsightly premises such as discarded materials, landscape, construction materials, graffiti and derelict fences. The bylaw notice is $150.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Houston, https://houston.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice: $150 for each unsightly-premises offence; $112.50 if paid within 14 days; $187.50 after 28 days.  
**How long:** Not stated on the District's pages. The Bylaw Enforcement Officer decides whether a complaint is investigated.  
**Where:**
- In person: Municipal Office, 3367 12th Street, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed statutory holidays)
- Phone: Municipal Office, 250-845-2238 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Online: Service Request Portal (bylaw complaints), https://houston.ca/community/service-requests/

## Key facts

- **What counts:** The bylaw notice schedule lists these unsightly-premises offences under Nuisance Bylaw s. 10: discarded materials, landscape, construction materials, graffiti on property and derelict fences. It also lists air contamination (s. 11) and public nuisances such as littering and placing graffiti (s. 13).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Amendment Bylaw No. 1230, 2026, Schedule A, Schedule A, Nuisance Bylaw No. 1114, s. 10](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/144929/)
  - Official wording: "Nuisance Bylaw No.1114, 2 - Unsightly Premises Discarded 10 (1 Materials $150.00 $112.50 $187.50 Yes 7" … "Landscape $150-00 $112.50 $187.50 Yes 7 Unsightl Premises Construction Materials 5150-00 $112.50 $187.50 Yes - Graf?ti on nUstigth Premiss" … "Residential/Commercial $150.00 - - Public Nuisances Smoking 13 (1 $150.00 $112.50 $187.50 Yes H 7 V"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to report:** Submit a bylaw complaint through the District's online Service Request Portal. Include your name, address and contact information, your relationship to the property, and the location and description of the issue.
  - Source: [Service Requests, About; What to Include in Your Complaint](https://houston.ca/community/service-requests/)
  - Official wording: "The District of Houston offers an online Service Request Portal for submitting service requests, inquiries, and bylaw complaints." … "Your name, address, and contact information as the official complainant," … "The location and description of the issue."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **What happens next:** The Nuisance Bylaw lets the District charge the owner for nuisance abatement: $50 per staff attendance plus actual cost, vehicle use at actual cost plus 10%, and $30 for a repeat service call.
  - Source: [Nuisance Bylaw No. 1114, 2021, Part 5, s. 41](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145078/)
  - Official wording: "a) Nuisance Abatement per staff attendance $50.00 + Actual Cost" … "b) Repeat Service Call per attendance $30.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $150 for each unsightly-premises offence; $112.50 if paid within 14 days; $187.50 after 28 days.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Amendment Bylaw No. 1230, 2026, Schedule A, Schedule A, Nuisance Bylaw, s. 10(1) to (5)](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/144929/)
  - Official wording: "Unsightly Premises Discarded 10 (1 Materials $150.00 $112.50 $187.50" … "10 (4 Property $150.00 $112.50 $187.50"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Nuisance Bylaw No. 1114, 2021, s. 10 (unsightly premises).
  - Source: [Nuisance Bylaw No. 1114, 2021, PART 5, Citation](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145078/)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as "Nuisance Bylaw No. 1114, 2021"."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Unsightly premises are covered by section 10 of the [Nuisance Bylaw No. 1114](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145078/). The District's bylaw notice schedule lists these offences: discarded materials, landscape, construction materials, graffiti on property and derelict fences. It also lists air contamination and public nuisances such as littering and placing graffiti. The exact wording of section 10 and the time an owner has to comply were not readable in our copy, so ask the Municipal Office.

## Steps

1. Submit a bylaw complaint through the Service Request Portal at houston.ca/community/service-requests/.
2. Include your name, address and contact information, your relationship to the property, and the location and description of the issue.
3. Or call the Municipal Office at 250-845-2238.

## Good to know

- The Bylaw Enforcement Officer decides whether a complaint is investigated. The District says the officer seeks compliance by education and communication first, then tickets or other action.
- The Nuisance Bylaw lets the District charge the owner for abatement: $50 per staff attendance plus actual cost, vehicle use at actual cost plus 10%, and $30 for a repeat service call.
- Standards of Maintenance Bylaw No. 1234, 2026 covers the condition of dwellings and rental units, not yards.

## Official forms and pages

- [Nuisance Bylaw No. 1114, 2021 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145078/)
- [Service Requests, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/service-requests/)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/unsightly-property.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/unsightly-property.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/unsightly-property.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/unsightly-property.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/unsightly-property.md)
- [Fraser Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Service Requests, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/service-requests/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Nuisance Bylaw No. 1114, 2021 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145078/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Amendment Bylaw No. 1230, 2026, Schedule A (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/144929/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact Us, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/contact/) (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 District of Houston. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/unsightly-property/_