Has this neighbour built his home WAY too close? | A Current Affair

Well Jake and Kaylee are really close with their neighbours, but not in the way you'd think.The couple saved hard to buy their first home and couldn't have been happier when they finally moved in.Then next door's build started going up, much closer than expected.

Can't even fit a tennis ball in the gap here, so who wants to live this close to your neighbours?

Space is at a premium on all the blocks at this new housing estate.Most of them are under 400 square metres in size.But only one place is built as close as this.The gutters are almost touching.Jake Philpott and Kayleigh Stott have two young kids, including an 11 -week -old baby.After saving for years, they finally moved into their first family home six months ago.

It was a real struggle getting here and to finally be able to have our own home was Yeah, it was probably like the greatest accomplishment I've ever really made.

The Harmony Development by Avid Property Group is a multi -billion dollar housing project on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.Two years ago, the Philpotts had to camp out overnight to secure their 322 square metre block for $386 ,000.

We've thrown everything at this.Like, we don't have investment properties, we don't have another house.This is everything we've got we've thrown at this.and this is what we're hoping to use to retire one day.

But the future value of the property is now in question, since their neighbour's place went up.So Jake, this neighbour is pretty damn close.

Yeah, well, it's about as close as you can possibly get, I'd say.What did you think when you came out here and saw that?Oh, when I pulled up from work and saw that, I knew straight away something's not right.

From the air, it almost looks like one house, but that tiny gap between the two gutters is all that separates them.You can't fit a tennis ball between the two.Jake can barely fit his hand.Once complete, the space Jake's standing in will be even tighter.

They haven't put the wall in yet and when it goes in, it's going to come to about here.So we're going to have a 40mm gap between our walls.How are you supposed to get down here to do any sort of maintenance or anything like that?You're just sandwiched against another house.

Partner Kayleigh says the two homes are so close, the neighbouring builders were walking on her roof.

I heard something and I was like, is someone on our roof?And I popped out the front and look, the tradies are lovely, but they were on our roof.And ultimately it's because they have built so close.

How did you feel when you first saw how tight the two places are?

Oh, I was in shock, actually.I couldn't believe it.I'm aware that the houses around here are fairly close.It's the nature of the beast.We have small blocks.It's just the way of the future.

But that was disappointing.

Not only was it disappointing, based on the plan of development, it was unauthorised.The blue line indicates Jake's block is allowed to be built right to the boundary, but his neighbour isn't.

And you can see it's set out in a way so that you don't get houses sandwiched together like what we have out the front here.

On Jake's other boundary, his house is set back one metre from the fence, ensuring space for next door.But his complaint to Sunshine Coast Council about his neighbour getting too close for comfort has basically gone nowhere.

Everyone else that's built around here has had to abide by the rules, including us.If we knew that someone was going to build to the boundary like that, we probably wouldn't have bought this block, or we might have not built our house to the boundary.

While a stop work order was initially placed on the property, Sunshine Coast Council has now approved an application for a relaxation.allowing it to be built right to the boundary.

there's no pathway for us to make any sort of appeal and they don't have to acknowledge our concerns at all.So basically they've told us too bad, so sad.That's just how it is.

A spokesperson for Sunshine Coast Council says Queensland planning laws do not allow neighbours to appeal Council's decision on this type of application.Also pointing out that the garage setback was initially approved by a private building certifier.

I'm so grateful that we have a home but I just can't let this go knowing that you're kind of getting walked over here.

The owner of the intruding property also works for the construction company building it.One sign calling it Precision Home, another Precision Homes with a Z. Not to be confused with a well -established company with the same name in South Australia.A spokesperson for Precision Home told us all plans were approved by a private certifier prior to work starting.Jake and Casey's only hope now is their local state MP trying to help.

It just feels like, you know, we're just a little guy, nobody really cares.

There's so much on our plate already and we're just trying to stay positive and grateful for the whole process, but also be realistic that this is, this is everything for us.So how is this fair?How is this fair?

That is a question that's a bit ridiculous, isn't it?How was it allowed to happen in the first place?Hopefully their local MP can help.