{"title":"Oak Bay unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Oak Bay?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/oak-bay","name":"Oak Bay","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":"District of Oak Bay","url":"https://www.oakbay.ca"},"short_answer":"In Oak Bay, report rubbish, derelict vehicles or boats, or overgrown property to Bylaw Enforcement at 250-598-3311 or bylaw@oakbay.ca. The owner can be ordered to fix it within 14 days. A ticket is $200 ($150 if paid within 30 days).","aliases":["overgrown yard oak bay","rubbish bylaw oak bay","derelict vehicle oak bay","report messy property oak bay"],"cost":"Reporting is free. A municipal ticket is $200 ($150 if paid within 30 days). If the District does the work, the cost is charged to the owner.","how_long":"The owner may be given 14 days to fix the problem.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"250-598-3311"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"bylaw@oakbay.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Rubbish and Weed Control Bylaw, 1997 (Bylaw No. 3938) (PDF)","url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/3938-rubbish-weeds-bylaw.pdf"},{"title":"Bylaw Enforcement, District of Oak Bay","url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/"}],"related":[{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Oak Bay bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/bylaw-fines/"},{"slug":"noise-rules","title":"Oak Bay noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/noise-rules/"},{"slug":"rv-boat-trailer-parking","title":"Oak Bay RV, boat and trailer parking rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/rv-boat-trailer-parking/"},{"slug":"yard-waste","title":"Oak Bay yard waste collection and drop-off","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/yard-waste/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/victoria","name":"Victoria","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/saanich","name":"Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/esquimalt","name":"Esquimalt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/view-royal","name":"View Royal","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/colwood","name":"Colwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langford","name":"Langford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/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 keep land clear of graffiti, filth, discarded materials or rubbish of any kind (including detached vehicle or boat parts, and building materials unless there is a current building permit), derelict boats, derelict vehicles, and brush, noxious weeds or growth that is likely to spread or is so unkempt as to be unsightly to nearby residents.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/3938-rubbish-weeds-bylaw.pdf","title":"Rubbish and Weed Control Bylaw, 1997 (Bylaw No. 3938) (PDF)","section":"ss. 2, 3","quotes":["Every owner or occupier of land in the District of Oak Bay shall keep such land clear of","any accumulation of graffiti, filth, discarded materials or rubbish of any kind;","so unkempt as to be unsightly to nearby residents.","building materials, construction equipment, or both, unless the owner of the land"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Contact Bylaw Enforcement at bylaw@oakbay.ca or 250-598-3311. Complainants are asked to identify themselves; identity is held in confidence where the offence can be shown by inspection.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/","title":"Bylaw Enforcement, District of Oak Bay","section":"Freedom of Information; Contact Us","quotes":["Complainants are asked to identify themselves when contacting the District on bylaw enforcement matters.","bylaw@oakbay.ca","250-598-3311"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":"The Director of Building and Planning may give the owner notice to fix the problem within 14 days. The owner may ask Council to reconsider. If it is not done, the District may do the work at the owner's expense (including disposal), and unpaid costs are added to the property taxes.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/3938-rubbish-weeds-bylaw.pdf","title":"Rubbish and Weed Control Bylaw, 1997 (Bylaw No. 3938) (PDF)","section":"ss. 4, 7, 11, 13","quotes":["advising that the Corporation will be entitled to take the required remedial action at the","expense of the person subject to the requirement if the remedial action has not been taken","the costs shall be added to and form part of the taxes payable on the land","as taxes in arrears."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Municipal ticket: $200 ($150 if paid within 30 days) for an accumulation of graffiti or rubbish, a derelict boat or vehicle, or overgrown property.","short":"Ticket $200 ($150 if paid within 30 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Bylaw-4846-Municipal-Ticket-Info-Consolidate.pdf","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 4846, 2023 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"Sched. 21","quotes":["Accumulation Of Graffiti/Rubbish 2 (1) $200.00 $150.00","Overgrown Property 2 (4) $200.00 $150.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Rubbish and Weed Control Bylaw, 1997 (Bylaw No. 3938)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/3938-rubbish-weeds-bylaw.pdf","title":"Rubbish and Weed Control Bylaw, 1997 (Bylaw No. 3938) (PDF)","section":"s. 19","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited as the “RUBBISH AND WEED CONTROL BYLAW, 1997”.","BYLAW NO. 3938"]}],"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\nThe [Rubbish and Weed Control Bylaw]() requires owners and occupiers to keep land clear of graffiti, filth, discarded materials or rubbish of any kind (including detached vehicle or boat parts, and building materials unless there is a current building permit), derelict boats, derelict vehicles, and brush, noxious weeds or growth that is likely to spread or is so unkempt as to be unsightly to nearby residents.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Contact Bylaw Enforcement at bylaw@oakbay.ca or 250-598-3311.\n2. Give your name. Complainants are asked to identify themselves, and identity is held in confidence where the offence can be shown by inspection.\n3. The Director of Building and Planning may give the owner notice to fix the problem within 14 days. The owner may ask Council to reconsider.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- If the work is not done, the District may do it at the owner's expense, including disposal. Unpaid costs are added to the property taxes.\n- Derelict vehicles or boats removed by the District are stored at least 60 days before disposal.\n- A ticket can also be issued: $200 ($150 if paid within 30 days), under [Bylaw No. 4846]().","sources":[{"url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/3938-rubbish-weeds-bylaw.pdf","title":"Rubbish and Weed Control Bylaw, 1997 (Bylaw No. 3938) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/","title":"Bylaw Enforcement, District of Oak Bay","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Bylaw-4846-Municipal-Ticket-Info-Consolidate.pdf","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 4846, 2023 (consolidated) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","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/oak-bay/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/unsightly-property.json"}}