In what appears to be straight out of a Neighbours at War episode, a Clyde family says they have become “hostages in their own home” due to loud music and swearing from the Airbnb next door. 

But their neighbouring property owners said their guests were the ones abused, rather than the other way round. 

They were victims of vengeance - and incidents of loud parties simply “did not happen”. 

Stephen and Jacqueline Potter, who are living in Perth, had a hearing this week to get a resource consent to operate a visitor accommodation for a house they own at 86 Sutherland St, in Clyde. It was for a maximum of four guests. 

Hamish Meddings and Heather Breen and their four children live next door at 84 Sutherland St and say the house last summer made their lives like “torture and hell”. 

The couple - who were opposed to the Central Otago District Council granting consent for the accommodation - said the Potters were never at the house and were marketing it last year for 12 people to stay at the property. 

“Come the weekend, the couples would come in and it would break out,” she said yesterday. 

In a submission to the hearing she said she was abused called a “f...... Karen”, and had to sit inside with all windows closed during the summer, to lock out the noise. 

“This currently unconsented travellers’ accommodation has ruined our quiet, peaceful neighbourhood, on a frequent basis especially in summer,” she said in a submission. 

Her children were unable to sleep upstairs, had nightmares and were frightened someone would come in from the house next door. 

Breen described an incident when doing some work in her backyard. 

“Each time I went in and out of the garage, closing the door behind me, the door sticks slightly. 

“Upon the last time I shut the door, one of the women called out: ‘Quit slamming the door you f...... Karen’.” 

Potter said, when contacted, the house had only had 12 visits in the past year and guests did not cause any disturbances from what she had been told. 

Only once did more than six people stay, she said. 

“It has never happened. We take people from the Rail Trail who just want to have a quiet night,” she said. 

They bought the property nine days before their neighbours moved in. 

She believes it all started when they complained to the council that Meddings and Breen were running what the Potters considered was a commercial gym in their garage, which resulted in the couple being required to get a home occupational use consent. 

She said after that the council got in touch over consents and it had never stopped. 

The Potters, who owned other properties in Clyde, were due to return permanently to the town next month, and would be living at 86 Sutherland St. 

-Stephen Hepburn, Otago Daily Times