A proposal by the ACT Opposition to increase the monitoring and penalties for hoarders has been criticised as punitive by mental health experts, who say a crackdown forcing owners to clean up squalid properties could instead heap shame on residents and cause the behaviour to be repeated.

Key points: The proposal would see the Government clean up properties and pass the cost onto hoarders

The proposal would see the Government clean up properties and pass the cost onto hoarders Mental health groups warn the push could increase shame and worsen the problem

Mental health groups warn the push could increase shame and worsen the problem Resident says the mental health of neighbours stuck next to hoarding properties also needs to be considered

The Canberra Liberals have proposed strengthened laws that would to give the Government more power to force residents to clean up, after complaints that numerous properties around the city were causing health and safety problems.

Under the private members' bill, introduced in the ACT Legislative Assembly today, there would be regular government inspections after a property was issued with an order to clean up.

If the home's occupant ignored the order, the Government would come in and clean up the backyard, the clean up costs passed on to the owner would double.

"There are several blocks of land in Canberra that are seriously rat-infested and have come to a point where they're not safe for either the owner or the neighbours," Canberra Liberals Leader Alistair Coe said.

"At the moment there's virtually no enforcement."

However enforcement is not the solution and there are often associated mental illnesses and difficult backgrounds underlying the hoarding problem, according to the Woden Community Service.

"If government are actually being the enforcer as well as trying to do the response it actually doesn't work," the service's Pam Boyer said.

"People tend to shy away from that, [it] increases their shame and they tend to shut down and not want to engage."

Under the proposal, greater costs would be passed on to residents who failed to clean up when asked to do so. ( Supplied )

Ms Boyer said skilled community workers were able to build rapport and trust, and act as an intermediary between the owner and the government.

"A level of intervention from government is certainly acceptable, but it needs to be matched by good community-based support services that actually help address the real problem behind this behaviour," Simon Viereck from the Mental Health Community Coalition said.

Kaleen resident Kimuel Jetter said he had had to deal with a hoarding neighbour for several years but said his attempts to resolve the issue with the owner had failed.

"His response is 'It's my property and I'll do what I want'," Mr Jetter said.

"My concerns are issues of rodents, health issues [with] mosquitoes, potential injury to kids, the animals in the yards have been aggressive with passers-by being growled at and barked at … and some of the animals previously were coming into our yard and causing damage.

"I appreciate the fact that it might be a mental health issue but the mental of health of residents as well is being impacted."

Mr Coe said the issue was not widespread but was "a big problem where it exists", adding that there was probably only a handful of blocks in Canberra that the Opposition was targeting.

He said he would "absolutely" also support additional funding for support services for people with hoarding behaviours.

"Sometimes it is going to be a mental health issue, other times it is going to be people just flouting the law and using their premises as pretty much a warehouse for scrap metal," he said.

"There are all sorts of property rights considerations that have to be balanced here, and mental health considerations.

"Not just for the household at the centre of it, but also for the neighbours."

'Slogging them with a fine is completely unreasonable'

Susan Helyar, the executive director of ACT council of social service, said she was concerned a regulatory response would increase anxiety and cause hoarders to repeat their behaviour.

"We're also really worried about the fines," Ms Helyar said.

"We recognise there's a problem if people are not complying with those requirements but slogging them between 30 and 60 per cent of their weekly income is completely unreasonable."

In a statement the ACT Government indicated it had reservations about what it labelled a "simplistic" approach.

"Imposing inflexible and strict conditions on compliance orders, as suggested by the Canberra Liberals, fails to account for the needs of the vulnerable," a spokesman said.

"We are cautious about the introduction of penalties that can be used as a blunt tool against the most vulnerable in our society.

"Every situation is different and the Government response varies based on site safety, community interest, mental health issues and circumstance."