---
title: Trail unsightly property rules and how to report
question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Trail?"
place: Trail, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/trail
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Trail
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/unsightly-property/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/unsightly-property.json"
---

# Trail unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** Report an unsightly or overgrown property in the City of Trail through the City's online bylaw service request form or by calling Bylaw Enforcement at 250-364-0833. The Unsightly Premises Bylaw covers rubbish, junk vehicles, graffiti and grass over 15 cm on developed property.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Trail, https://www.trail.ca)  
**Cost:** No ticket amount found. Court penalty on conviction: $1,000 to $10,000; City cleanup costs are billed to the owner.  
**How long:** Owner has 14 days after a demand letter; if Council issues a removal order, 30 days.  
**Where:**
- Online: Bylaw Enforcement page (online service request form), https://www.trail.ca/city-hall/bylaws/bylaw-enforcement/
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement, 250-364-0833

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners or occupiers must not let a parcel become unsightly: stored building material (without a permit), unlicensed or non-running vehicles in view, rubbish or scrap, grass over 15 cm on developed property, graffiti visible from public places, uncovered garbage, or an unsightly structure (broken or boarded windows, peeling paint, damaged siding).
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 2669, 2008 (consolidated with Bylaw 2848), s. 1.1, 2.1, 2.3](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No owner or occupier shall cause, allow or permit a parcel to become or to remain unsightly" … "including allowing a grass lawn on a developed property to grow higher than 15 centimeters" … "No owner or occupier of a parcel shall cause, allow or permit graffiti" … "a broken window or windows"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Use the City's online bylaw service request form, or call Bylaw Enforcement at 250-364-0833. The City treats complainants as a confidential source.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement, Bylaw Enforcement page](https://www.trail.ca/city-hall/bylaws/bylaw-enforcement/)
  - Official wording: "To register a bylaw-related complaint, please use the electronic service request form above to report a problem or contact the Bylaw Enforcement Department at 250-364-0833." … "considers a complainant to be a confidential source"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What happens next:** A bylaw officer may send a demand letter with 14 days to fix it. If still unfixed, Council may issue a removal order with 30 days. After that the City may clean up at the owner's cost; unpaid costs are added to property taxes.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 2669, 2008 (consolidated with Bylaw 2848), s. 4.1-4.2, 5.1-5.3](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the Bylaw Enforcement Officer may deliver a Demand Letter to both the owner and the occupier of the parcel" … "the Council may issue a Removal Order:" … "at the expense of the owner, enter on the parcel and remove, clear or remedy" … "the City shall add the cost of the work to the taxes due and owing on the affected parcel"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** No ticket amount found. On conviction the penalty is $1,000 to $10,000, and each day is a separate offence.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 2669, 2008 (consolidated with Bylaw 2848), s. 6.1-6.2](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "to a penalty of not more than $10,000.00 and not less than $1,000.00" … "Each day that a violation continues to exist is a separate offence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 2669, 2008 (consolidated with Bylaw No. 2848, 2018)
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 2669, 2008 (consolidated with Bylaw 2848), s. 8.1, cover](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the “Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 2669 , 2008”." … "Bylaw No. 2848 July 16, 2018"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 2669, 2008](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf) says an owner or occupier in the City of Trail must not let a parcel become unsightly. That includes: stored building material (without a permit), unlicensed or non-running vehicles in view, rubbish or scrap, grass over 15 cm on developed property, graffiti visible from public places, uncovered garbage, and an unsightly structure (broken or boarded windows, peeling paint, damaged siding). Building material is allowed with a valid building permit, in a closed building, or if the owner sells building material. Vehicles may be kept in a closed building.

## Steps

1. Use the online bylaw service request form on the City's Bylaw Enforcement page, or call 250-364-0833.
2. Give the address and describe what you see. The City treats complainants as a confidential source.
3. A bylaw officer may send the owner a demand letter giving 14 days to fix it.
4. If it is still not fixed, Council may issue a removal order with 30 days. After that the City may clean up at the owner's cost.

## Good to know

- Unpaid cleanup costs are added to the property taxes.
- I found no ticket amount. On conviction, the penalty is $1,000 to $10,000, and each day is a separate offence.
- The City may enter the property between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to check or clean up.

## Official forms and pages

- [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 2669, 2008 (PDF)](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/unsightly-property.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/unsightly-property.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/unsightly-property.md)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/unsightly-property.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/unsightly-property.md)
- [Salmo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 2669, 2008 (consolidated with Bylaw 2848), City of Trail (PDF)](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, City of Trail](https://www.trail.ca/city-hall/bylaws/bylaw-enforcement/) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 City of Trail. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/unsightly-property/_