Property Standards
The City has a
Yard Maintenance By-law and
Property Standards By-law to ensure that the maintenance and occupancy of property within the community is maintained to an acceptable standard.
Maintenance Standards
Examples of maintenance standards outlined in Property Standards By-law include:
- The maintenance of all plumbing, heating, ventilation, electrical, lighting, and all interior & exterior finishes in buildings.
- The removal of rubbish; litter; debris; dead or decaying trees; wrecked, dismantled, unlicensed or inoperable vehicles; dilapidated buildings.
- The cutting of tall grass and weeds that exceeds 6” in height.
The Property Standards Officer has the responsibility to administer and enforce property standards by-laws within the City. Property Standards Officers are appointed, by by-law, as both Property Standards Officers and Building Inspectors under the authority of the Building Code Act.
Complaint Process
Please note: front yard (grass) parking is a violation of the Zoning By-law. Please log concerns regarding front yard parking with Development Services via Service Barrie,
705-726-4242 or
Service.Barrie@barrie.ca.
Officers do not proactively patrol Property Standards By-law violations but respond to all complaints received as soon as possible. For property maintenance cases (long grass, garbage etc.) please log your concerns with Enforcement Services by phone or email: 705) 739-4241 or Enforcement.Services@barrie.ca. A
Property Standards Complaint Form is also available for your convenience.
Upon receipt of a concern a Property Standards Officer will investigate. The investigation may include any or all of the following actions:
- contacting the tenant and/or owner to confirm the complaint is valid or has been resolved,
- attending the property to conduct an inspection to obtain evidence,
- issuing verbal or written orders to the contraveners (with applicable service fees),
- initiate additional legal action where necessary.
As per Appendix A of the Property Standards By-law, an owner or occupant who has been served with an order and who is not satisfied with its terms or conditions may appeal to the Property Standards Committee by sending a notice of appeal by registered mail to the secretary of the Committee within 14 days after being served the order. Please contact Legislative & Court Services at (705) 726-4220 ext 5500 or CityClerks@barrie.ca for detail.
Property Standards for Renters & Tenants
The City expects the tenant to co-operate with the owner, landlord and/or property manager (owner) by providing access, in accordance with applicable legislation, to carry out repairs at reasonable times, and expects the owner/tenant to carry out and complete remedial work in a timely manner.
We are here to assist both the owner and tenant achieve compliance with municipal by-laws. Any attempts to hinder the owner’s efforts to carry out remedial work are discouraged and may negatively affect the priority of the complaint and/or prompt completion. Likewise, if necessary, non-compliance with a notice or order will result in Property Standards exercising the fullest extent of the by-law.
| FAQs Specific to Tenants & Landlords: | |
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| Can a tenant withhold rent if the owner does not repair a unit? | |
Any issues dealing with landlord tenant relations are dealt with through the Landlord and Tenant Board. The contact number is 1-888-332-3234. |
| Does the landlord have to provide minimum heat during the summer? | |
Every dwelling shall be provided with an approved heating system capable of maintaining a room temperature of 20 degree Celsius. The City of Barrie heat regulations are a year round requirement. There are no "turn on" or "turn off" dates. |
| What can I do if the owner turns my heat off? | |
If the heat is off and the temperature falls below 20 degree Celsius, this is a violation of by-law.
Please contact the owner to ensure they understand your concerns. If you do not get cooperation from the owner, you may contact the Building Services Department and ask to register a complaint. A Property Standards Officer will contact the owner and investigate the complaint. |
| Does the owner have to ensure I have hot water and/or sufficient water pressure? | |
All hot water shall be supplied at a temperature range of between 45 and 49 degrees Celsius. HOWEVER, if you are responsible for the payment of utilities, and the utilities have been turned off due to a fault of the tenant's, the owner is not obligated to carry out remedial work. All units must have adequate water pressure. |
| I notice a lot of mould in my rental unit. Is this a violation? | |
Unless deemed to be caused by a lack of general housekeeping by the tenant, owners are required to remove mould and repair mould damaged walls. The tenant is expected to use the exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms as necessary. |
Frequently Asked Questions
| Can the Property Standards Officer tell me to remove my vehicle from my own property? | |
You may be required to remove your vehicle only if it does not comply with the provisions of the by-law. Generally, no vehicle including a trailer, or any part of such vehicle or trailer, which is in a wrecked, discarded, dismantled, inoperative or abandoned condition shall be parked, stored or left outdoors on any property in the City of Barrie. This includes tires, batteries and other vehicle parts. |
| My neighbour has a tree that overhangs my property. May I cut the branches that overhang my property? | |
The Property Standards Branch does not deal with living trees unless they present a potential hazard. You should seek legal advice to determine whether or not you may remove branches that overhang your property. If there is a tree that poses a danger from dead branches or if the tree is not sound, this matter will be dealt with by the Property Standards Branch. The owner of the tree is responsible to maintain the tree. If a tree or branches fall on a property, the owner of the property on which the tree falls is responsible for clean up, regardless of who owns the tree. |
| Is my complaint kept confidential? | |
If you wish to file a complaint regarding a property other than your own dwelling, personal information is kept confidential. If you are a tenant and are filing a complaint concerning the repair of your unit, the owner will likely be aware that you are the person who has filed the complaint. We will be in contact with the owner to confirm they are aware of any deficiencies, to obtain their plan of action and may issue notices or orders if we do not obtain voluntary compliance.
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