Pensioner forks out $137k as neighbors’ swimming pool feud escalates

A pensioner has spent up to NZ$150,000 trying to get his neighbors to either fix or remove their swimming pool, claiming it’s too close to his home and is impacting his property.

David Holland, 76, has been involved in a years-long dispute with his neighbors in Papamoa, New Zealand despite the swimming pool being built by the previous owners, Stuff reported. However, as a retired surveyor and property developer, Holland believes the pool and its developments are non-compliant and has pushed the local council for changes, accruing NZ$150,000 (A$137,000) in legal fees.

“As soon as someone like me challenges them they just shut down and you can’t get through them,” Holland told Stuff. “They know my age… they’re waiting for me to die. This is what they do, they hope you die, or run out of money and capitulate.”

Holland claims the pool is non-compliant because it’s close to the boundary line and the pool, alongside its fence, encroaches on his property. He also alleges a leak in the pool has caused the edge of his carport to sag.

Council allegedly forked out half a million dollars in dispute

In the dispute between Holland and his neighbours, Phil and Stella Huse, who reportedly live in Auckland and use the Papamoa property as a holiday home, Tauranga City Council has likely spent $500,000 of ratepayers money, Holland aleges. He believes the issue could have been rectified months ago.

However, the council reportedly believes it has acted in a “fair, reasonable and entirely ethical” manner throughout the process.

“These proceedings have resulted in significant cost to (council). However… we must respond when complaints are raised and when we are included in legal proceedings,” Steve Pearce, council’s building services manager said, Stuff reported. Yahoo News has reached out to Tauranga City Council for comment.

Both neighbors Adamant not to back down as dispute escalates

Phil Huse, the owner of the swimming pool, doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about and explained the structures ultimately have all the appropriate paperwork required.

“We regard it (Holland’s complaints) as frivolous and it’s absolutely costing us a lot of money for… no issue, we’re not too sure what his concerns are,” Huse told Stuff.

Both neighbors are adamant they will not back down now that the issue has gone this far, with Holland ultimately concerned the pool will “implode” and completely wipe his retaining wall, sending his carport crashing down.

“They could either just fill the whole thing in and then dig it out and put another pool in, or otherwise… they can move it about a meter and a half, put a new fence in and back-fill it. It’s not rocket science,” he told Stuff.

Late last month, a long-standing feud between Aussie neighbors reached breaking point after a homeowner made an “unhinged” fence move. Disputes between renters living in a small apartment block in Sydney’s affluent suburb of Cremorne and a middle-aged couple who live in a property to their left have been going on for years.

However, the tension in the street recently escalated when “a massive mound of stuff” suddenly appeared over the dividing fence and onto a nature reserve leading to Primrose Park, a woman living in one of the units told Yahoo News.

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