Retired couple Bill and Judy Pay have leased three lots of a coastal property off Otakou Golf Course Rd since 1986, but have become embroiled in a dispute over boundary changes.
"This has been very upsetting for me and my wife because we have put a lot of work into that place," Mr Pay said.
"I don't know how much more of this strain I can take."
The couple originally leased the lots under a "gentlemen's agreement" with the Akapatiki A Block, a Maori incorporation, Mr Pay marking the original boundary with young bluegum trees.
However, attempts to sell one of the leasehold lots have failed after the prospective buyers discovered the boundary, which includes the tree-lined driveway, was different on the block's latest map supplied by the property manager.
"I was going to give up the driveway and say to hell with it all," Mr Pay said.
"But I am not going to walk away from this," he said.
The dispute between the couple and the property's manager, Trevor Johnston, started in 2003 after allegations the couple had encroached on a neighbouring lot, Mr Pay having thrown away new boundary posts.
However, Mr Pay claims the new map supplied has earmarked more land to be taken off the couple, comprising almost 1000sq m, including the driveway and some beachfront property.
The couple had consulted lawyers since 2004 and the whole ordeal had "cost us a lot of money, which we don't have".
Mr Johnston said lots in the Akapatiki A block were in the process of being "surveyed, pegged and the boundaries defined, which they haven't been in the past".
Once that was done, a plan would be deposited with Land Information New Zealand, which would provide leasehold titles for the 50 lessees if "they uplift the offer".
That work was expected to be completed by December.
Mr Johnston declined to comment on the case of an individual lessee.
