--- title: Sayward unsightly property rules and how to report question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Sayward?" place: Sayward, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/sayward category: Bylaws, noise and complaints owner: municipal owner_body: Village of Sayward sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/unsightly-property/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/unsightly-property.json" --- # Sayward unsightly property rules and how to report **Question:** How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Sayward? **Short answer:** In Sayward, owners and occupiers must not let property become unsightly or let rubbish collect, and must keep ground cover under 30 cm. Report a property at the Village Office or with the online Bylaw Complaint Form. Council can order a clean-up and the Village can do it at the owner's cost. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Sayward, https://www.sayward.ca) **Cost:** No ticket amount is set. On conviction, a fine of up to $10,000. If the Village does the work, the cost goes to the owner and unpaid costs can be added to the property tax roll. **How long:** The bylaw sets the time for each order; Council may declare a set time to comply. **Where:** - Phone: Village Office (open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed holidays), 250-282-5512 - In person: Village Office, 652 H'Kusam Way, Sayward, BC - Online: Online Bylaw Complaint Form, https://www.sayward.ca/form/bylaw-complaint-form ## Key facts - **What counts:** Owners and occupiers must not let property become unsightly or let rubbish, discarded materials or noxious matter collect (s. 7.13); keep ground cover under 30 cm and noxious weeds and unkempt growth cleared (s. 7.14); remove graffiti within 5 working days (s. 7.2); keep boulevards tidy (s. 7.3). - Source: [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023, ss. 7.13, 7.14](https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2023-06/Bylaw%20502%20-%20Public%20Nuisance.pdf) - Official wording: "No Owner or Occupier of Real Property shall permit the Real Property to become or" … "keep ground cover vegetation from exceeding 30 cm in height" - Source: [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023, s. 7.2](https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2023-06/Bylaw%20502%20-%20Public%20Nuisance.pdf) - Official wording: "within five (5) working days of the placement" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **How to report:** At the Village Office, or with the online Bylaw Complaint Form. - Source: [Bylaws, Bylaws page](https://www.sayward.ca/government-bylaws/bylaws) - Official wording: "Would you like to file a Bylaw Complaint? You may do so at the Village Office or, if you’d prefer, you can submit one online using the button below." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **What happens next:** Council may declare the property must be brought into compliance in a set time, and an officer may issue a notice (s. 7.19). If not done, the Village may do the work at the owner's cost (s. 7.20); unpaid costs can be added to the property tax roll (s. 7.21). The owner may ask Council to reconsider within 14 days (s. 7.22). - Source: [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023, ss. 7.19 to 7.22](https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2023-06/Bylaw%20502%20-%20Public%20Nuisance.pdf) - Official wording: "Council may make a declaration requiring that the Owner or other responsible person bring the Real Property into compliance" … "at the cost of the defaulting Owner or other responsible person" … "within 14 days of receipt of the notice, or lesser time if specified in the notice" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fine:** No ticket amount is set. On conviction, a fine of up to $10,000 (s. 8.2). - Source: [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023, s. 8.2](https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2023-06/Bylaw%20502%20-%20Public%20Nuisance.pdf) - Official wording: "to a fine of not more than $10,000 (and not less than the fines prescribed in the Village of Sayward Ticketing Offence Bylaw)" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Bylaw:** Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023 - Source: [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023, s. 1](https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2023-06/Bylaw%20502%20-%20Public%20Nuisance.pdf) - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023”." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works The [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023]() (Part 7) says owners and occupiers must not: - let property become unsightly or let rubbish, discarded materials or noxious matter collect. Discarded materials include unlicensed or inoperable vehicles, boats, machinery and firewood not neatly stacked; - let ground cover grow over 30 cm, or leave noxious weeds and unkempt growth; - leave graffiti (remove it within 5 working days); - leave boulevards untidy. ## Steps 1. Report the property at the Village Office (250-282-5512) or with the online Bylaw Complaint Form. 2. Council may declare that the property must be brought into compliance within a set time, and an officer may issue a notice. 3. If the work is not done, the Village may do it at the owner's cost. Unpaid costs can be added to the property tax roll. 4. An owner may ask Council to reconsider within 14 days. ## Good to know - No ticket amount is set. On conviction, a fine of up to $10,000. - The [Ticketing Bylaw No. 422]() has no schedule for Bylaw 502. ## Official forms and pages - [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023 (PDF)](https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2023-06/Bylaw%20502%20-%20Public%20Nuisance.pdf) - [Bylaws, Village of Sayward](https://www.sayward.ca/government-bylaws/bylaws) ## Related questions - [Sayward noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/noise-rules.md) - [Sayward garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/garbage-collection.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md) - [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/unsightly-property.md) - [Gold River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/unsightly-property.md) - [Tahsis](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/unsightly-property.md) - [Zeballos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/zeballos/unsightly-property.md) - [Port McNeill](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-mcneill/unsightly-property.md) - [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/unsightly-property.md) ## Sources - [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 502, 2023 (PDF)](https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2023-06/Bylaw%20502%20-%20Public%20Nuisance.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Bylaws, Village of Sayward](https://www.sayward.ca/government-bylaws/bylaws) (read 2026-11-08) - [Staff Directory, Village of Sayward](https://www.sayward.ca/contact/staff-directory) (read 2026-11-08) _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 Village of Sayward. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/unsightly-property/_