{"title":"Merritt unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/merritt","name":"Merritt","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"bylaws-and-complaints","name":"Bylaws, noise and complaints"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of Merritt","url":"https://www.merritt.ca"},"short_answer":"To report an unsightly or overgrown property in the City of Merritt, use the City's online Report a Bylaw Infraction form and choose Unsightly Property. A Bylaw Services Officer can order the owner to fix it within 14 days; a first bylaw notice is $100.","aliases":["overgrown yard merritt","messy property merritt","junk cars neighbour merritt","weeds neighbour merritt","derelict vehicle merritt"],"cost":"No fee to report. Bylaw notice for the owner: $100 first offence, $250 second, $450 third ($75, $200 and $375 if paid within 14 days; $125, $300 and $500 after 28 days).","how_long":"The owner has 14 days from delivery of a compliance order to fix the problem.","where":[{"type":"online","label":"Report a Bylaw Infraction form","value":"https://www.merritt.ca/government/report-a-bylaw-infraction/"},{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"250-378-4224 ext. 216"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"bylaw@merritt.ca"}],"documents":["Your name and home address (required by the form)","The location of the property and a description of the problem"],"forms":[{"title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387 (PDF)","url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf"},{"title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424 (PDF)","url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Merritt bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/bylaw-fines/"},{"slug":"noise-rules","title":"Merritt noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/noise-rules/"},{"slug":"rv-boat-trailer-parking","title":"Merritt RV, boat and trailer parking rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/rv-boat-trailer-parking/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/logan-lake","name":"Logan Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lytton","name":"Lytton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lytton/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kamloops","name":"Kamloops","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/princeton","name":"Princeton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/ashcroft","name":"Ashcroft","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/peachland","name":"Peachland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/unsightly-property/"}],"topic":{"title":"Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property/"},"facts":{"what_counts":{"label":"What counts","value":"Owners and occupiers must not let property become or stay \"unsightly\": visible filth, rubbish, graffiti or discarded materials; untidy building materials; dead or uncontrolled vegetation; derelict vehicles; decayed fences or structures. Also banned: unsanitary conditions, standing water, noxious weeds, more than two unlicensed vehicles, vehicle parts, more than one recreational vehicle per dwelling unit (unless fully enclosed), and insect or rodent infestations.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"s. 3.1 Unsightly, s. 10.1, 10.2","quotes":["No owner or occupier of Property shall cause or permit the Property to become or remain Unsightly.","more than two unlicensed motor vehicles, except where the Property is zoned for such storage","more than one recreational vehicle may be parked per dwelling unit","an accumulation of Noxious Weeds","landscaping or vegetation that is dead or characterized by uncontrolled growth or lack of maintenance"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Use the \"Report a Bylaw Infraction\" form on merritt.ca (category Unsightly Property), or call Bylaw Services at 250-378-4224 ext. 216 (bylaw@merritt.ca). Name, home address, complaint location and description are required; an email or phone number is optional, but without one the City may be unable to act.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/government/report-a-bylaw-infraction/","title":"Report a Bylaw Infraction, City of Merritt","section":"Report a Bylaw Infraction","quotes":["property concerns such as unsightly properties","Providing an email address or phone number is optional; however, without at least one form of contact information, we may be unable to act on your request."]},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/contact/","title":"Contact, City of Merritt","section":"Directory","quotes":["Bylaw Services | Phone: | 250-378-4224 ext. 216"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":"A Bylaw Services Officer may issue a compliance order giving 14 days from delivery to fix it. If not fixed, the City may enter without further notice, do the work at the owner's or occupier's cost, and add the cost to the property taxes. The order can be reconsidered by Council if requested in writing within 10 days.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"s. 15.2, 17, 19.2","quotes":["must be remedied within fourteen (14) days of the date of delivery of the notice","the cost of such work will be added to the taxes of the real property","be submitted in writing to the Director of Corporate Services within: (i) ten calendar days of the compliance order being served"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice: $100 for a first offence, $250 second, $450 third ($75, $200, $375 if paid within 14 days; $125, $300, $500 after 28 days). A compliance agreement may be available.","short":"Notice $100 first; $250 second; $450 third","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"Schedule A, Good Neighbour Bylaw s. 10.1","quotes":["Cause or permit an unsightly property 10.1 $100.00 for $75.00 for $125.00 Yes"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"City of Merritt Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (Part III, Property Maintenance).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["This Bylaw shall be cited as “City of Merritt Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024”."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the [Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf), owners and occupiers in the City of Merritt must not let property become or stay \"unsightly\". That means visible filth, rubbish, graffiti or discarded materials, untidy building materials, dead or uncontrolled vegetation, derelict vehicles, and decayed fences or structures. The rule applies regardless of the condition of other properties in the neighbourhood.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Open the Report a Bylaw Infraction form on merritt.ca.\n2. Enter your name, home address, the complaint location and a description, and choose Unsightly Property.\n3. Submit. Or call Bylaw Services at 250-378-4224 ext. 216. An email or phone number is optional, but without one the City may be unable to act.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Also banned: unsanitary conditions, standing water, noxious weeds, more than two unlicensed vehicles, vehicle parts, more than one recreational vehicle per dwelling unit (unless fully enclosed), and insect or rodent infestations.\n- A Bylaw Services Officer may issue a compliance order giving 14 days from delivery to fix it. If it is not fixed, the City may enter without further notice, do the work at the owner's or occupier's cost, and add the cost to the property taxes.\n- A compliance order can be reconsidered by Council if requested in writing within 10 days.\n- A property with more than three nuisance service calls in 12 months can be declared a Nuisance Property.\n- Bylaw notices under [Bylaw 2424](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf): $100 first offence, $250 second, $450 third ($75, $200, $375 if paid within 14 days; $125, $300, $500 after 28 days).\n- Owners and occupiers must also clear snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of residential property within 24 hours.","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (PDF), City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026 (PDF), City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/government/report-a-bylaw-infraction/","title":"Report a Bylaw Infraction, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/contact/","title":"Contact, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/unsightly-property.json"}}