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

# North Saanich unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** Send a written complaint about the property to North Saanich Bylaw Services using the Bylaw Complaint Form or bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca. Unsightly Premises Bylaw 1400 covers rubbish, graffiti, unlicensed vehicles and untended brush or weeds. An officer can order removal within 14 days.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of North Saanich, https://www.northsaanich.ca)  
**Cost:** Municipal ticket $130, or $100 if paid within 30 days (2022 amounts; may have changed). Court fine $100 to $10,000.  
**Where:**
- Online: Bylaw Complaint Form, https://www.northsaanich.ca/bylaw-complaint-form
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-655-5476

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners must not let a parcel become or stay unsightly. Listed examples: an unlicensed vehicle in front of the front setback line, or more than one unlicensed vehicle not in a closed building, for 72 or more consecutive hours; accumulated filth, discarded materials or rubbish; unenclosed storage of furniture, appliances or other household, commercial or industrial items; graffiti; uncovered household garbage; building materials without a building permit; a building missing its surface or covering without a permit. Untended brush, grass and weeds must be removed.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015), ss. 2, 3](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No Owner shall cause, allow or permit a parcel to become or to remain unsightly, and specifically:" … "the parking or storage for a total of 72 or more consecutive hours of:" … "No Owner shall cause, allow or permit the accumulation on a parcel of filth, discarded materials or rubbish of any kind" … "No Owner shall cause, allow or permit the presence of graffiti on a parcel;" … "No Owner shall cause, allow or permit the accumulation of household garbage on any parcel except where contained in a covered receptacle;" … "untended brush, grass, trees, noxious weeds, and other growths so as to ensure the property does not appear unkept"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Submit a written complaint (the District only starts an investigation on a written complaint from a North Saanich resident): use the District Bylaw Enforcement Complaint Form or email bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca with your name, address and contact information, a description of the problem and its location. Bylaw Services: 250-655-5476.
  - Source: [Police & Bylaw Services, Bylaw Services, Submitting a Complaint](https://www.northsaanich.ca/resident-services/police-bylaw-services)
  - Official wording: "A complaint with respect to an alleged contravention of a municipal bylaw must be submitted in writing prior to the District initiating an investigation and must contain:" … "Your name, address and contact information" … "A description of the nature of the complaint" … "The location of the alleged contravention" … "Following up with Bylaw Services at bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca or 250-655-5476 will allow us to have a record of your complaint."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What happens next:** A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may deliver a Removal Order requiring removal within 14 days and explaining the right to ask Council to reconsider. Within 14 days of service the owner must comply or ask Council to reconsider; Council may affirm, vary or revoke the order. If the owner does not comply, District staff or a contractor may enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., remove and dispose of the items, and recover the cost from the owner as a debt.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015), ss. 7 to 12](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "requiring the removal within 14 days of any thing, things or class of things, that render the parcel unsightly;" … "Within 14 days after service of the Removal Order the Owner must:" … "request that Council reconsider the Removal Order." … "Council may, after considering the matter, affirm, vary or revoke the Removal Order." … "between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and remove and dispose of any thing, things or class of things referred to in the Removal Order." … "the District may recover the costs incurred from the Owner of the parcel subject to the Removal Order as a debt"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket (MTI Bylaw 1544, Schedule 7): $130, or $100 if paid within 30 days, for letting property become or stay untidy or for a listed item. Obstructing a Bylaw Officer: $500 ($350). Court fine: $100 to $10,000. Ticket amounts are from 2022 and may be out of date.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 7)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Allow or permit property to become or remain" … "Accumulation of trash or discarded materials 2(b) $130.00 $100.00" … "Obstruct Bylaw Officer 6 $500.00 $350.00"
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015), s. 15](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "liable to a fine and penalty of not more than $10,000.00 and not less than $100.00 for each offence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** North Saanich Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015)
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015), s. 17](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "North Saanich Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf), an owner must not let a parcel become or stay unsightly. The bylaw lists:

- an unlicensed vehicle in front of the front setback line, or more than one unlicensed vehicle not in a closed building, for 72 or more consecutive hours;
- accumulated filth, discarded materials or rubbish;
- unenclosed storage of furniture, appliances or other household, commercial or industrial items;
- graffiti and uncovered household garbage;
- building materials without a building permit (allowed with a permit or stored in a closed building out of sight), or a building missing its surface or covering without a permit;
- untended brush, grass and weeds, which must be removed. No height is set.

## Steps

1. Submit a written complaint: the District starts an investigation only on a written complaint from a North Saanich resident. Use the Bylaw Complaint Form (the type list includes Property Standards) or email bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca with your name, address and contact information, a description of the problem and its location. Bylaw Services: 250-655-5476.
2. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may deliver a Removal Order requiring removal within 14 days.
3. Within 14 days of service the owner must comply or ask Council to reconsider; Council may affirm, vary or revoke the order.
4. If the owner does not comply, District staff or a contractor may enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., remove and dispose of the items, and recover the cost from the owner as a debt.

## Good to know

- Each day an offence continues is a separate offence.
- A ticket is $130, or $100 if paid within 30 days, and the court fine is $100 to $10,000. Obstructing a Bylaw Officer is $500 ($350). The ticket amounts are from 2022; the District has since passed 2026 ticket bylaws we could not read, so confirm the current amount.

## Official forms and pages

- [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)
- [Bylaw Complaint Form](https://www.northsaanich.ca/bylaw-complaint-form)

## Related questions

- [North Saanich bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/unsightly-property.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/unsightly-property.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/unsightly-property.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/unsightly-property.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/unsightly-property.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015) (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Police & Bylaw Services, District of North Saanich](https://www.northsaanich.ca/resident-services/police-bylaw-services) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 7) (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf) (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 District of North Saanich. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/unsightly-property/_