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

# Maple Ridge unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** In Maple Ridge, report garbage, debris, overgrown grass or brush, noxious weeds or graffiti on a neighbouring property to the City's Bylaw, Licensing and Community Safety department online at mapleridge.ca/report or at 604-467-7305. An officer can order the owner to fix it.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Maple Ridge, https://www.mapleridge.ca)  
**Cost:** Untidy or unsightly premises or graffiti: $300 bylaw notice ($250 within 14 days, $350 after 28 days). Overgrowth: $200.  
**Where:**
- Online: Bylaw complaint form, https://www.mapleridge.ca/form/bylaw-complaint-form
- Phone: Bylaw, Licensing and Community Safety, 604-467-7305
- Email: Bylaws, Bylaws@MapleRidge.ca

## Key facts

- **What counts:** An owner or occupier must not let property become or stay untidy or unsightly, or allow graffiti. Unsightly includes accumulated junk, litter, brush, rubbish or derelict vehicles; broken or rotting fences; dead or neglected landscaping; grass over 30 cm or brush spreading onto neighbours; noxious weeds; and building materials stored over 15 days without a permit.
  - Source: [Untidy and Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 6533-2007 (consolidated), s. 2 definitions, 3, 4, 8, 9](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/untidy-unsightly-premises-bylaw-no-6533-2007)
  - Official wording: "the accumulation of junk, filth, litter, brush, discarded materials, refuse," … "No Owner or Occupier of Property shall cause, permit or allow the Property to become or" … "No Owner or Occupier of Property shall cause permit or allow Graffiti on the Property." … "overgrown with any grasses in excess of 30 centimetres in height or brush of any" … "accumulation of building materials on"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Online at mapleridge.ca/report, by phone at 604-467-7305, by email at bylaws@mapleridge.ca, by mail or in person. Give your full name, home address and phone, the property address and details. Anonymous complaints are not accepted; limit of three non-recurring complaints per complainant property per calendar year.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement, How to File a Bylaw Complaint](https://www.mapleridge.ca/community-safety/bylaw-enforcement)
  - Official wording: "You may submit a complaint online, over the phone at 604-467-7305, by email at bylaws@mapleridge.ca by regular mail or in person" … "There is a limit of three (3) non-recurring complaints per complainant property, per calendar year."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What happens next:** An officer may serve an order to fix the problem within 30, 14 or 7 days (7 if the officer believes it is a nuisance), sent by express mail to the owner and posted on the property if the premises are occupied. If not done, the City may do the work and recover the cost as property taxes. The owner has 5 days to ask Council to review the order.
  - Source: [Untidy and Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 6533-2007 (consolidated), s. 10](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/untidy-unsightly-premises-bylaw-no-6533-2007)
  - Official wording: "Within 30 days or," … "Within 7 days if the Bylaw Enforcement Officer believes the contravention is a" … "at the expense of the Owner or Occupier" … "within 5 days of the posting or mailing of the Notice" … "This notice must also be posted on the subject property if there is an occupied premise."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** $300 bylaw notice for untidy or unsightly premises (s. 3) or graffiti (s. 4): $250 if paid within 14 days, $350 after 28 days; a compliance agreement is available. Overgrowth (s. 8) is $200. Municipal tickets list the same $300 and $200.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement (Consolidated) Bylaw No. 7626-2020, Schedule A, Schedule A, Part 32](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/bylaw-notice-enforcement-consolidated-bylaw-no-7626-2020)
  - Official wording: "6533-2007 3 Untidy/Unsightly Premises $300 $250 $350 Yes" … "6533-2007 8 Overgrowth $200 $150 $250 Yes"
  - Source: [Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 6929-2012 (Consolidated), Schedule 31](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/ticket-information-utilization-bylaw-no-6929-2012-consolidated)
  - Official wording: "Untidy/Unsightly Premises 3 $300" … "Overgrowth 8 $200"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Regulation of Untidy and Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 6533-2007
  - Source: [Untidy and Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 6533-2007 (consolidated), citation](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/untidy-unsightly-premises-bylaw-no-6533-2007)
  - Official wording: "Regulation of Untidy and Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 6533-2007"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Regulation of Untidy and Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 6533-2007](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/untidy-unsightly-premises-bylaw-no-6533-2007) says an owner or occupier must not let property become or stay untidy or unsightly, or allow graffiti. Unsightly includes accumulated junk, litter, brush, rubbish or derelict vehicles; broken or rotting fences; dead or neglected landscaping; grass over 30 cm or brush spreading onto neighbours; noxious weeds; and building materials stored over 15 days without a permit. Containers must also be adequate, closed and not overflowing.

## Steps

1. Report online at mapleridge.ca/report, by phone at 604-467-7305, by email at bylaws@mapleridge.ca, by mail or in person.
2. Give your full name, home address and phone, plus the property address and details. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.
3. An officer may serve an order to fix the problem within 30, 14 or 7 days (7 if the officer believes it is a nuisance). It is sent by express mail to the owner and posted on the property if the premises are occupied.
4. If the work is not done, the City may do it and recover the cost as property taxes.

## Good to know

- Each complainant property is limited to three non-recurring complaints per calendar year.
- The owner has 5 days to ask Council to review the order.
- Fines: untidy or unsightly premises or graffiti is a $300 bylaw notice, and a compliance agreement is available. Overgrowth is $200. Municipal tickets list the same $300 and $200.
- A court can impose a penalty of not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000.

## Official forms and pages

- [Untidy and Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 6533-2007 (PDF)](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/untidy-unsightly-premises-bylaw-no-6533-2007)

## Related questions

- [Maple Ridge bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Pitt Meadows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pitt-meadows/unsightly-property.md)
- [Port Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/unsightly-property.md)
- [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/unsightly-property.md)
- [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/unsightly-property.md)
- [Township of Langley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/unsightly-property.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Untidy and Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 6533-2007 (consolidated)](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/untidy-unsightly-premises-bylaw-no-6533-2007) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, City of Maple Ridge](https://www.mapleridge.ca/community-safety/bylaw-enforcement) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement (Consolidated) Bylaw No. 7626-2020, Schedule A](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/bylaw-notice-enforcement-consolidated-bylaw-no-7626-2020) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 6929-2012 (Consolidated) (PDF)](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/ticket-information-utilization-bylaw-no-6929-2012-consolidated) (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 Maple Ridge. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/unsightly-property/_