Masterton man buys house only to find out five years later he doesn’t own it

PHOTO: ILLYA MCLELLAN/STUFF – Nigel Rothsay says he has endured a nightmare six months after discovering he is actually the legal owner of his neighbour’s house, and they owns his.

When Nigel Rothsay heard the police at his door in December he had no idea the bizarre turn his life was about to take.

Masterton police had raided Rothsay’s neighbour, under suspicion of dealing methamphetamine, and placed a restraining order on that property under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act, he said.

But in doing so, it was discovered that an apparent administrative error five years earlier meant Rothsay actually owned his neighbour’s property and they owned his – both having been unaware of the mix-up until that moment.

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