{"title":"Pitt Meadows unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/pitt-meadows","name":"Pitt Meadows","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 Pitt Meadows","url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca"},"short_answer":"In the City of Pitt Meadows, report an unsightly, littered or overgrown property to Bylaw Services using the online complaint form, bylaw@pittmeadows.ca or 604-465-2428. Give your name and the exact address; anonymous complaints are not accepted.","aliases":["overgrown yard complaint pitt meadows","messy property pitt meadows","junk vehicle on property pitt meadows","property maintenance bylaw pitt meadows","garbage on neighbour's property"],"cost":"Bylaw notices: $100 to $400 (see below).","how_long":"A written notice to comply gives 14 days.","where":[{"type":"online","label":"Report a Bylaw Complaint","value":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/city-hall/bylaw-services/report-bylaw-complaint"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"bylaw@pittmeadows.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"604-465-2428"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1400, 1991 (consolidated PDF)","url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/Property%20Maintenance%20Bylaw%20No.%201400%2C%201991%20-%20Consolidated%20Version.pdf"},{"title":"Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 2739, 2016 (PDF)","url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2022-05/2739__2016_-_Nuisance_Abatement_Bylaw_%28new%29.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Pitt Meadows bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pitt-meadows/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/maple-ridge","name":"Maple Ridge","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-coquitlam","name":"Port Coquitlam","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/coquitlam","name":"Coquitlam","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/anmore","name":"Anmore","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-moody","name":"Port Moody","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/belcarra","name":"Belcarra","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/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 remain unsightly. That includes stored building materials (without a permit, unless in a closed structure), unlicensed or inoperable vehicles, filth, discarded materials and rubbish, graffiti, and overgrowth: brush, dead trees, noxious weeds and wild grass must be cleared.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/Property%20Maintenance%20Bylaw%20No.%201400%2C%201991%20-%20Consolidated%20Version.pdf","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1400, 1991 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"ss. 2, 5, 6, 9","quotes":["No owner or occupier of real property shall cause or permit the property to become or remain unsightly.","the accumulation of filth, discarded materials or rubbish of any kind,","the storage or accumulation of all or part of any motor vehicle which is not:","the presence of graffiti, whether in the form of pictures or words, on real property","brush, dead trees, noxious weed, wild grass and other untended growths."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Online Report a Bylaw Complaint form, or Bylaw Services, 604-465-2428, bylaw@pittmeadows.ca. Give your name and contact details (anonymous complaints are not accepted) and the exact address of the property.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/city-hall/bylaw-services/report-bylaw-complaint","title":"Report a Bylaw Complaint, City of Pitt Meadows","section":"Report a Bylaw Complaint","quotes":["The City does not accept anonymous complaints.","we ask that you have the exact address where the alleged violation has occurred."]},{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/city-hall/bylaw-services/bylaw-violations-faqs","title":"Bylaw Violations FAQs, City of Pitt Meadows","section":"FAQ","quotes":["contact the Bylaw Services department at 604-465-2428 or by email at bylaw@pittmeadows.ca."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":"A bylaw officer may give written notice to comply within 14 days. If the owner does not comply, Council may have City staff or contractors enter and remove the material at the owner's expense. The cost is due immediately and, if unpaid on December 31, is added to the property taxes.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/Property%20Maintenance%20Bylaw%20No.%201400%2C%201991%20-%20Consolidated%20Version.pdf","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1400, 1991 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"ss. 13-14","quotes":["to comply within fourteen (14) days of delivery of the notice and, in the event of failure by the owner or occupier to comply with the notice, Council may, by its employees","effect the removal of the offending material at the expense of the person who has failed to comply.","if such charge remains unpaid on December 31 in the year that the removal was done, the costs shall be added to and form part of the taxes payable"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice: unsightly property $300 ($240 if paid within 14 days). Accumulating rubbish or noxious matter $300 ($200). Depositing rubbish $400 ($320). Failing to clear brush, weeds or untended growth $100 ($80). Failing to remove discarded building supplies $300 ($240).","short":"Notice $300 ($240 if paid within 14 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/Bylaw-Notice-Enforcement-Bylaw-No-2439%2C-2009-Consolidated-Version.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2439, 2009 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"Schedule A, Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1400, 1991","quotes":["Unsightly property 5 240 300 n/a","Accumulation of rubbish 3 200 300 n/a","Deposit rubbish 4 320 400 n/a","Fail to clear property of brush, 9 80 100 n/a"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1400, 1991","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/Property%20Maintenance%20Bylaw%20No.%201400%2C%201991%20-%20Consolidated%20Version.pdf","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1400, 1991 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"title","quotes":["PROPERTY MAINTENANCE BYLAW","Bylaw No. 1400, 1991 and amendments thereto"]}],"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 [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1400, 1991](<https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/Property%20Maintenance%20Bylaw%20No.%201400%2C%201991%20-%20Consolidated%20Version.pdf>) says owners and occupiers must not let property become or remain unsightly. That includes stored building materials (without a permit, unless in a closed structure), unlicensed or inoperable vehicles, filth, discarded materials and rubbish, graffiti, and overgrowth: brush, dead trees, noxious weeds and wild grass must be cleared. Owners must also clear snow, ice and rubbish from sidewalks bordering the property.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Use the online Report a Bylaw Complaint form, or contact Bylaw Services at 604-465-2428 or bylaw@pittmeadows.ca.\n2. Give your name and contact details and the exact address of the property. Complainants' identities are kept confidential unless you agree to be identified.\n3. A bylaw officer may give the owner written notice to comply within 14 days.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- If the owner does not comply, Council may have City staff or contractors enter and remove the material at the owner's expense. The cost is due immediately and, if unpaid on December 31, is added to the property taxes.\n- Court penalty: up to $2,000 plus costs, each day a separate offence. The separate Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 2739, 2016 also lets the City abate nuisances and recover costs.\n- Bylaw notices: unsightly property $300 ($240 if paid within 14 days); accumulating rubbish or noxious matter $300 ($200); depositing rubbish $400 ($320); failing to clear brush, weeds or untended growth $100 ($80); failing to remove discarded building supplies $300 ($240).\n- The City publishes no target for how fast an officer will visit.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/Property%20Maintenance%20Bylaw%20No.%201400%2C%201991%20-%20Consolidated%20Version.pdf","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1400, 1991 (consolidated) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/city-hall/bylaw-services/report-bylaw-complaint","title":"Report a Bylaw Complaint, City of Pitt Meadows","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/city-hall/bylaw-services/bylaw-violations-faqs","title":"Bylaw Violations FAQs, City of Pitt Meadows","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/Bylaw-Notice-Enforcement-Bylaw-No-2439%2C-2009-Consolidated-Version.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2439, 2009 (consolidated) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.pittmeadows.ca/sites/default/files/2022-05/2739__2016_-_Nuisance_Abatement_Bylaw_%28new%29.pdf","title":"Nuisance Abatement Bylaw No. 2739, 2016 (PDF)","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/pitt-meadows/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pitt-meadows/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pitt-meadows/unsightly-property.json"}}