When Krissy Bain determined on a tiny house for her and her two children and found a kind landowner who would allow her the space to carry out the build, she had no idea that ten months down the track her life would be a nightmare.

Back in April, just after the lockdown, Daniel Taylor of Luggate responded to a plea from Bain for land to carry out the build. Things went well for the first few months with Taylor loaning Bain tools for the build, and giving labour and advice when she needed it although at a cost.

In August Taylor gave Bain the option to stay permanently on the land for $100 a week once the build was finished.

“By August I had given him $8000 to help me build, “ said Bain. “But then I had no more budget for any more help, and I needed to complete the build myself.

“Then Taylor said he could do the plumbing for me. I insisted it be appropriately signed off. He said he wouldn’t put anything in writing but that the job would be $5000. I located a plumber in town and got a quote of $1800. And this guy could do it in a week.

“So between me paying him $8000 and him quoting me $5000 I realised this guy wasn’t there to help me out of the goodness of his heart- he was using my build as an income source. Alarm bells were going off, and at that point, I decided I just wanted to get off the property.”

Bain went to the police for help to get her tiny house off the property. They said they would escort me, she said. She arranged for a truck for the move but got a message from Taylor to say he was too busy to deal with the move.

Bain approached the police again who went to the property to find it locked. Taylor said he had “unresolved issues” with Bain but again, didn’t have time to deal with this. The police made Taylor agree to a meeting with Bain in three days time but yet again he was too busy on the day.

Since then Bain has approached Community Law and at their advice hired a lawyer.

Taylor has issued her with an invoice for $1200, which Bain said was “falsified.” But she agreed to pay it on condition that she be able to remove her house. Community Law said the quickest way to get access to the house was to “just pay it.”

Graham Taylor is the father of Daniel Taylor and agreed to speak to the Sun.” The whole thing is getting out of proportion,” he said

“Daniel has helped people with four different tiny houses in the past.”

He advised Bain on the frame of the tiny house. He was concerned it would be over weight.

The whole thing came to a halt at one stage because Bain had run out of funds.

A month ago, Daniel Taylor said he had finished his part of the agreement.

“There was then an agreement to pay rent, after which everything blew up,” Graham Taylor said

Bain decided to move the house off the property but there was $1200 still owed to Daniel Taylor.

“We decided she had to pay the money ($1200) she owed and tidy up the property because the moment the house left the property we had no leverage.

“Next thing she turned up with the police,” said Graham Taylor.” Daniel Taylor told the police the house wasn’t stolen.

“We asked that she write us a letter stating that once the house was off the property she had no claim on us.

“She could come and get it  (the house)  tomorrow but for the simple reason she had to have the money in the bank and it has to clear first.

“She said she wants to pay when she takes the house away, but she could cancel the payment. And I really think she would do that,” said Graham Taylor.

“I can just see this all coming back on top of us, and costing us time and energy at a time when we a really busy (as agricultural contractors).

“The whole thing is absolutely ridiculous.”

Read edition 1002 of the Wānaka Sun here.