It is hard to feel anything but sympathy for Fife couple Niki and Mario Caira.
The couple have lived in their Thornton home with their seven-strong family for the past 15 years without issue.
But they have been left completely flummoxed after it became clear just how near neighbours they would be with the occupants of a new build property being developed on an adjacent plot to their own.
It is not hard to understand their complaint.
Their open bathroom window extends more than halfway across the boundary to the new property.
Light amenity into their home is being impacted.
Their view is now of a brick wall and they fear their house price will have been negatively affected.
Fife Council approved the plans
But the curious part of this wrangle is there appears to be no wrongdoing on the part of the developer.
There is no mistake.
The firm behind the development – which includes another property – is simply building a home according to plans approved by Fife Council.
The local authority insists the building to date is compliant, although the work will require a completion certificate before the property is legally habitable.
The council has put the ball back in the court of the property owners to sort things out between themselves.
But it is difficult to see how the authority will be able to wash its hands of a situation that seems to be partly of its making.
Some might accuse the Cairas of whining and nimby-ism.
But there is no doubt their home, and their enjoyment of their property, has been impacted by the development on their doorstep.
It is difficult to see how that issue resolves itself without a dramatic turn of events.
How things progress – and whether an amicable resolution can be found – will be interesting viewing.
Fife family’s fury over house built within touching distance of their home
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