A MIS-ALIGNED boundary line between two properties in Novena has led to angst on both sides of the fence.

The encroachment of land on the two corner terrace houses at Jalan Novena Selatan, became an issue when a couple began building a two-storey extension on their land.

Now their neighbour, Dr Adelene Chow Ching-Ling has taken the couple - who allegedly built into the back of her land and also damaged property - to court.

The couple, Mr Chew Ping and Ms Eunice Phua Ling, both in their early 40s, have counter-claimed against the 35-year-old doctor, for encroachment as well.

Dr Chow bought her house in November 2003, while the couple bought theirs about a year later.

She claimed that in 2005, during extensive renovations, they damaged a 1.6m-high chain link fence on the boundary line, the tiled ground on which the fence and metal posts stand, and cemented ground adjacent to the drain near her house.

Dr Chow paid for two proprety surveys. The first, in October 2005, revealed that the fence was not aligned according to the common boundary of the two properties.

But in another survey conducted six months later, it showed encroachment by both parties - at the front of the couple's property, and at the back of Dr Chow's property.

Dr Chow claimed that given the extensive renovation work carried out, the couple knew or should have known that the fence was wrongly aligned and should not have encroached on her land.

She alleged in her statement of claim that the couple refused to replace the damaged fence with a new one and to align it to correspond with the proper common boundary, as well as rectify the encroachment above and below her ground.

Read the full report in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.