Larry and Brenda Lott were 'accommodating' when the Polish builder living next door in leafy Hampton, south west London, began improvements to his home.
It started with a loft conversion, then a year ago he began a single-storey extension at the back of his house.
But once they saw the building develop, they realised it stood on their land, encroaching by a brick's width, or around four inches.
They say they have now lost space in the garden, claim the extension has 'ruined' their £650,000 home and say they have been left with ill-health.
They now feel they have little choice to move from the home they have loved for 28 years after falling out with the neighbour.
To make matters worse, the local council has refused to help, insisting that it is a boundary dispute and therefore a 'private legal matter' and not a breach of planning regulations.
Under planning laws, extensions can be built without needing consent from authorities as long as they do not exceed certain limits, in what is known as 'permitted developments'.
For example, a single-storey rear extension will be given automatic approval if it does not measure any higher than 13.2ft.
The Lotts say they have been 'kept awake for a year' by the 'constant banging and drilling' of builders working on the property in the leafy suburb of Hampton, south west London.
Brenda, 76, said: 'We had a new neighbour move into the property almost eight years ago now, he is a Polish builder.
'It's a beautiful area and we always said hello in the morning but this is a step too far; he has taken some of our land.
'He has built a loft extension, which we were fine with a year ago, but this extension at the back goes into our property.
'We were accommodating at first, we've always got on so well with all of our neighbours, but this has become a nightmare.
'We only became aware when he started. He showed us the plans, which clearly show the extension going into our property.
MailOnline
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