{"title":"Penticton unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Penticton?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/penticton","name":"Penticton","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 Penticton","url":"https://www.penticton.ca"},"short_answer":"Report an unsightly, overgrown or rubbish-filled property in Penticton using the City's online bylaw complaint form, by calling Bylaw Services at 250-490-2440, or by emailing bylaw@penticton.ca. An officer inspects and can order the owner to fix it.","aliases":["overgrown yard penticton","messy property neighbour penticton","vacant building penticton","graffiti penticton","junk in yard penticton"],"cost":"Bylaw notice $100 for permitting a property to become unsightly ($90 if paid within 14 days). If the City does the work, the owner pays and unpaid costs can be added to property taxes.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"online","label":"Bylaw complaint form","value":"https://online.penticton.ca/tdnl/eapply/calls/Default.aspx?WebTemplateName=enforcement"},{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"250-490-2440","note":"Monday to Sunday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m."},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"bylaw@penticton.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Register a Complaint","url":"https://www.penticton.ca/city-services/bylaw-enforcement/register-complaint"},{"title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2012-5030 (PDF)","url":"https://www.penticton.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/bylaws/5030%20Good%20Neighour%20Bylaw%20-%20Consolidated%20for%20website.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Penticton bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/summerland","name":"Summerland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/peachland","name":"Peachland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/keremeos","name":"Keremeos","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-kelowna","name":"West Kelowna","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kelowna","name":"Kelowna","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kelowna/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/osoyoos","name":"Osoyoos","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/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 allow: rubbish or discarded material; offensive matter in plain sight; stagnant water; dead vegetation or noxious weeds; firewood beyond stacking limits; vehicle parts or unlicensed vehicles (beyond one); graffiti; stored building materials (unless building); trees or roots harming City roads. Exempt: normal farm practices; outdoor storage the Zoning Bylaw allows.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/bylaws/5030%20Good%20Neighour%20Bylaw%20-%20Consolidated%20for%20website.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2012-5030 (PDF) (consolidated), City of Penticton","section":"s. 7.2; s. 7.1.1, 7.1.2","quotes":["shall not permit the accumulation of Rubbish, Garbage or Discarded Material upon Real Property","offensive or unwholesome matter upon Real Property in plain sight","No Owner shall permit the accumulation of dead landscaping, vegetation, noxious weeds","All Owners shall not permit graffiti to remain on Real Property","Part 7 of this Bylaw does not apply to farm operations conducted in accordance with normal farm practices"]},{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/bylaws/5030%20Good%20Neighour%20Bylaw%20-%20Consolidated%20for%20website.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2012-5030 (PDF) (consolidated), City of Penticton","section":"Schedule D, \"UNSIGHTLY\"","quotes":["The storage, location or accumulation visible to a person standing on a public highway or on nearby property"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Use the City's online bylaw complaint service, or call Bylaw Services at 250-490-2440 (Monday to Sunday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.), or email bylaw@penticton.ca. Give your name, contact details and your relationship to the property. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/city-services/bylaw-enforcement/register-complaint","title":"Register a Complaint, City of Penticton","section":"How to Register a Complaint","quotes":["To report a non-emergency bylaws issue, please use our online service.","Anonymous complaints are not accepted.","Phone: 250-490-2440, Monday - Sunday, 6 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Email: bylaw@penticton.ca"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":"An officer visits and, if warranted, orders the owner to fix it within the time the officer sets; the notice must state 14 days (24 hours for snow, ice or rubbish on a sidewalk). If not done, the City may do the work and add the cost to the taxes; the owner may also be ticketed.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/city-services/bylaw-enforcement/register-complaint","title":"Register a Complaint, City of Penticton","section":"Unsightly Property","quotes":["a Bylaw officer will attend the property to determine if the situation warrants further action","The cost of cleanup may be recovered by being added to taxes if unpaid."]},{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/bylaws/5030%20Good%20Neighour%20Bylaw%20-%20Consolidated%20for%20website.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2012-5030 (PDF) (consolidated), City of Penticton","section":"s. 7.25 to 7.30","quotes":["must be remedied within fourteen (14) days of the date of delivery of the notice","the City may, without further notice, proceed to carry out the work required, and the cost of such work will be added to the taxes of the real property","fails to comply with the Bylaw Enforcement Officer","such time as the Bylaw Enforcement Officer considers appropriate in the circumstances.","must be remedied within fourteen (14) days of the date of delivery of the notice, or,"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice for permitting a property to become unsightly (s. 7.2): $100 ($90 if paid within 14 days, $110 late). Specific items (rubbish, weeds, vehicle parts, graffiti, building materials) are also $100.","short":"Notice $100 ($90 if paid within 14 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/bylaws/2012-5037%20Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20%28Consolidated%20Package%20-%20June%202026%29_0.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2012-5037 (PDF) (consolidated June 2026)","section":"Schedule A, Appendix 11","quotes":["Permit Property to","7.2 $100.00 $90.00 $110.00 Yes","Accumulation of, rubbish","7.2 (j) $100.00 $90.00 $110.00 Yes"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2012-5030 (Part 7, Property Maintenance)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/bylaws/5030%20Good%20Neighour%20Bylaw%20-%20Consolidated%20for%20website.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2012-5030 (PDF) (consolidated), City of Penticton","section":"Title","quotes":["CITY OF PENTICTON GOOD NEIGHBOUR BYLAW NO. 2012-5030"]}],"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\nPart 7 of the [Good Neighbour Bylaw](https://www.penticton.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/bylaws/5030%20Good%20Neighour%20Bylaw%20-%20Consolidated%20for%20website.pdf) says owners and occupiers in Penticton must not allow: rubbish or discarded material; offensive matter in plain sight; stagnant water; dead vegetation or noxious weeds; firewood beyond stacking limits; vehicle parts or more than one unlicensed vehicle; graffiti; stored building materials (unless building); or trees or roots harming City roads. Normal farm practices and outdoor storage the Zoning Bylaw allows are exempt.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Report it through the online bylaw complaint form, by phone, or by email. Give your name, contact details and your relationship to the property.\n2. An officer visits and, if warranted, orders the owner to fix it within the time the officer sets. The notice must state 14 days (24 hours for snow, ice or rubbish on a sidewalk).\n3. If it is not done, the City may do the work and add the cost to the property taxes. The owner may also be ticketed.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Owners must also keep the boulevard, lane and sidewalk next to the property clear of debris, and clear sidewalk snow and ice by 11 a.m. the morning after a snow event. The City's complaint page says within 24 hours; the bylaw wording is the rule, so confirm with Bylaw Services.\n- Vacant buildings must be registered or secured. Phone 250-490-2440 with your full name and number. Graffiti can be reported online.\n- The $100 bylaw notice also applies to specific items such as rubbish, weeds, vehicle parts, graffiti and building materials. Court-prosecuted offences carry a fine of $100 to $10,000 and up to six months in jail.\n- Anonymous complaints are not accepted.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/city-services/bylaw-enforcement/register-complaint","title":"Register a Complaint, City of Penticton","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/bylaws/5030%20Good%20Neighour%20Bylaw%20-%20Consolidated%20for%20website.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2012-5030 (PDF) (consolidated), City of Penticton","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.penticton.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/bylaws/2012-5037%20Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20%28Consolidated%20Package%20-%20June%202026%29_0.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2012-5037 (PDF) (consolidated June 2026)","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/penticton/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/unsightly-property.json"}}