I know how readers who have written in feel about this. I have also been an overseas resident landlord in the past, but made the effort to maintain my home.

The road I live in has many rental properties one of which I live next door to.

The owner lives overseas and it has mainly been empty, but now rented. In the freezing weather in early 2010 a pipe burst because they were too mean to leave the heating on and this pipe ran for days until icicles formed on the outside of the house.

The water came into my property causing wallpaper to come away and cracks in some ceilings and walls – somewhat unusually my very unreasonable tenant did not say anything.

These houses have gardens of about 7m – in November last year a third of the 30-year-old fence fell down – six months later it still has not been fixed.

The front flower bed wall brickwork is falling to bits, the original 1930s wooden window frames are rotting and the paint peeling, the gardens is mainly weeds, the front elevation is probably the original 1930s painted, roof slates are slipping – overall, pretty unmaintained.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED