Cr Shields raised the issue at the December Dubbo Regional Council meeting.

As it currently stands, local government act only allows council to force repairs to a building if it forms a danger to the public or presents as a health threat.

But the mayor says stronger powers are needed to stop the unsightly buildings from deterring new residents and tourists alike.

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His fellow councillors agreed that a letter needed to be sent to NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes to ask for the clean-up rules to be changed.

Cr Shields said there were a number of the dilapidated properties in Dubbo and Wellington and he had no doubt most people could easily identify two or three without having to think too hard about it.

"This...is not about coming in with a big stick and hurting people who are in a residence, we know that people who have problems keeping their place tidy could have all sorts of reasons why, it could be mental health, financial, it could be family issues," he said.

"But if you've got a commercial property and you're just running it into the ground and doing nothing but watching it fall away slowly, where it is becoming an absolute dilapidated mess, in my mind you can't afford to own it."

Cr Shields said council's current authority to deal with the "slumlords" was not good enough.

"They're doing absolutely nothing in the idea of community spirit or in wanting to help our region grow. I don't think it's fair on the community," he said.

Councillor David Grant agreed.

He said he couldn't understand how landlords could let their properties be run into the ground.

"To be honest, some of these properties aren't suitable for dogs. They're that run down there's just no way someone could lease these properties. They either need to spend some money on them or knock them down and look at other options," he said.

Cr Shields said it was in everyone's interests to have the Dubbo region looking good and that included commercial land and business owners.