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It's lovely to have a property abroad that you can escape to in the cold winter months, or share with family and friends ' but who looks after it when you're not there?

The ongoing running and maintenance of your property abroad should be one of the key considerations when you are in the buying process. As with any home, there will be ongoing maintenance, such as painting, gardening and cleaning, that needs to be considered, along with dealing with plumbing, electrical or water supply issues that arise when the property is unoccupied, or when there are rental guests there.

If you are using a local agency to rent out your property abroad, then you will probably have a maintenance agreement that covers most of the day-to-day running issues, but you should make sure that you check what's covered and what's not before you sign up. Anything that's not covered in the agreement will be your responsibility, and you will have to organise repairs or installations on your own.

You will find, particularly in areas that are popular with overseas owners, that there are maintenance companies who you can hire to look after your property for you. For a monthly or annual fee, they will go into your property on an arranged basis, check it for any faults or damage and then carry out repairs. Again, make sure that you choose a company that is recommended to you ' either by friends or by the estate agent - so that you can be sure that checking and maintenance is being carried out.

If your property abroad is an apartment in a serviced block, then certain maintenance tasks will be included in your service charges. Before you buy the property, check what is covered by your service agreement, so that you know what you will be responsible for.

If you are lucky, you may find that you have neighbours who are willing to check your property abroad while it is unoccupied. Make sure that you don't expect too much from them, or that you set out clearly between you what your neighbour can and can't do without your permission.