Neighbor-quarrel costs 80-year-old man €300,000

The neighbors of an 80-year-old man from Leersum may claim a 300 thousand euro fine from him in a long running conflict between the neighbor, the court of Midden-Nederland ruled on Wednesday, the Telegraaf reports.

According to the court, the neighbors have a legitimate claim on the house of the elderly man, with whom they've been living in discord for 15 years. The man trespassed on the neighbor's property twice this year.

In 2009 a court banned the elderly man - locally known as the "Monster of Leersum" - from stepping onto the neighbors' property. A series of incidents led another court in 2010 to impose a once off fine of 300 thousand euros should the man trespass on the neighbors' property again. This was meant to have a "deterrent effect" and "irreversible consequences" for violations.

Despite this the 80-year-old was in the neighbors' garden on March 31st and April 4th of this year, as proven by surveilance camera footage. The first time he damaged a car, the second time he claims he was looking for his dog.

His house will now be sold and 300 thousand euros will be paid to the neighbors.

The elderly man claism that the forced sale of his property is disproportionate. According to him, in the free sale of his house he could get 650 thousand euros. But on a foreclosure auction he will get no more than 425 thousand, he says. That means that he will lsoe out on 525 thousand euros, including the money he has to pay to his neighbors.

The court dismissed the objections. The man only has an 800 euros mortage on the house and knew that he would be fined if he trespassed on his neighbors' property again.