Sounds like you've had a real baaad experience and I really don't know what to suggest. The important expression in your alarming tale of woe is "hands on" yes- I am very much hands on, I know all my tenants personally and either do or supervise the repairs when they are required. It is true that letting agents in general seem to have a bad press, but there must be some good ones. I regret that it sound to me as though you need to spend some time over here sorting it out personally before returning to Oz. As you say, you have made a substantial capital gain, and because you are not here there are others in the property business who are determined to make as much as they can for themselves out of it.
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regards, P.P.