Unmaintained private properties
Report hazardous vegetation or cluttered yards. Learn how to keep your property clear, neat and hazard-free.
Regulating unmaintained private properties
Unsightly vegetation, objects and materials are regulated under Council's Health, Safety and Amenity Local Law 2021 (the Local Law).
Under the Local Law, your property must not:
- create health or safety hazards
- detract from the cleanliness and appearance of your street.
It’s your responsibility to keep your property free of overgrown or hazardous vegetation. You must also avoid hoarding objects or materials, such as:
- unwanted cars
- scrap machinery or machinery parts
- discarded bottles, containers or packaging
- dilapidated or messy building hoardings
- scrap metals, piles of wood or other materials
- large household items such as couches and washing machines.
Find out how to manage garden waste and unwanted items.
Hazardous vegetation
Hazardous vegetation is any vegetation, including trees, grass and shrubs, that can create a health, fire or safety hazard.
Under the Natural Assets Local Law 2003, you must reduce hazardous vegetation on your property. This includes vegetation that:
- increases the risk of fire
- triggers bronchial or skin allergies
- obstructs vision and the usage of the road by motorists
- injures or blocks people using a footpath or other public area
- harbours vermin such as rats and mice.
Before reducing vegetation on your property, make sure the vegetation isn’t protected.
Dealing with unmaintained private properties
Before reporting an unmaintained property to Council, there are steps you can take yourself.
- Talk to the owner of the property. They may not realise their property is causing an issue.
Let them know:
- what area is causing you concern
- why you're concerned (e.g. the overgrown vegetation or messy yard is causing health issues, encroaching on your property or impacting the street’s overall attractiveness)
- they have a responsibility under the Health, Safety and Amenity Local Law 2021 to keep their property free of overgrown vegetation and unsightly materials.
2. If you’re uncomfortable with approaching the property owner in person:
- use our letter template
- fill in your details (if you wish)
- place it in your neighbour’s letterbox.
3. If they ignore your concerns and the issue continues contact the South Queensland Government Dispute Resolution Centre.
You can access free mediation services to help you manage a neighbourhood dispute without going to court.
4. If the issue persists, you can report it to Council.
Report an unmaintained property
You can report non-urgent unmaintained property issues online. You need to provide:
- your name, address and phone number (this information is kept confidential)
- a description of the issue (e.g. rubbish, pest plants, overgrown grass)
- the exact location of the issue, as well as any additional location details (e.g. a landmark or the nearest cross street)
- up to 5 images (optional) showing the overall nature of the issue and clearly identifying the property location and the area of concern within the property. This will help Council investigate your complaint.
Managing garden waste and unwanted household items
Learn what you can do to keep your yard clear of unsightly objects, neat and hazard-free.
To prevent overgrown and messy gardens:
- mow your lawn regularly
- pull out unwanted weeds and plants
- prune trees, bushes and shrubs.
You can dispose of green waste by:
- dropping it off for free with your waste voucher at Council’s resource recovery centres (also known as tips)
- recycling it using Council’s green waste recycling service
- composting at home or a community composting hub.
You can take unwanted household items to a tip, including:
- electronic waste such as computers, monitors and printers
- small household appliances including kettles, microwaves and cameras
- white goods such as fridges, washing machines and dryers.
If you can't get to a tip, leave your unwanted goods out for kerbside collection.
Protected vegetation
Some vegetation in Brisbane is protected under the Natural Assets Local Law 2003. It's an offence to interfere with protected vegetation without permission, even if it's on your property.
Before you work on or remove vegetation, check if it’s protected and whether you need a permit.
Invasive vegetation and pests
Invasive species are non-native plants and animals that can damage our environment, reduce native species and threaten biodiversity.
Managing invasive species on your property helps to reduce the spread of pests, disease and contaminants to native animals and plants.
Investigating unmaintained property complaints
When investigating complaints about unmaintained properties, Council considers:
- the location of the premises (e.g. on Brisbane City Plan 2014)
- the existing amenity of the area
- the approved use of the site or premises
- the nature and quantity of objects, materials and vegetation
- any history of non-compliance and complaints
- if there’s protected vegetation on the property.
When investigating a hazardous vegetation complaint, Council considers:
- the nature and quantity of the vegetation
- whether the vegetation blocks pedestrian access or a motorist’s vision
- whether there’s protected vegetation on the property
- whether there's enough clearance above footways (generally 2.5 metres) or roadways (generally 5 metres).
Helpful links
Frequently asked questions
You can complain about your neighbour’s overgrown grass if it:
- is unsightly and an eyesore
- disrupts the amenity of the local area
- causes a fire, health or safety hazard. This includes breathing or skin issues, or harbouring vermin.
Before you report overgrown vegetation, talk to your neighbour about the issue. They may not know their grass is causing a problem.
If your neighbour ignores your concerns, try settling the dispute through mediation.
If this doesn’t work, report your concern to Council.
Both Council and residents are responsible for maintaining nature strips.
A nature strip, also known as a footway, is the strip of land from the front of a property to the kerb and channel, including the footpath.
Council is responsible for maintaining the footpath and keeping it safe for pedestrians.
Residents are responsible for taking care of the grassy area, also known as a verge.
If there’s a property on your street that’s an eyesore due to overgrown vegetation or a build-up objects and materials, talk to the property owner. They may not realise their property is impacting the street’s overall appearance.
If the property owner doesn’t resolve the issue, try settling the dispute through mediation.
If this doesn’t work, report your concern to Council.