I have a small buy-to-let property up north just round the corner from where I grew up. I invested the money my Nanna left me and in place of a pension brought a damp, tired house back to life. With the help of an old friend from my teenage years (known as Builder Chris by my children as we have so many friends called Chris) and his contacts plus my ever patient parents the house had a new damp course, kitchen and bathroom, repaired roof, new flooring and was decorated from top to bottom. After all that effort all we had to do was find a lovely tenant to make the house a home.

We found a tenant and last week they moved out leaving pretty much everything except the rent. As I looked at the dirt and mess I admit that I just wanted it all to go away. I invited three estate agents round to value it and see if it was worth putting up for sale.

I apologised…