OPINION: It is hard not to feel deep sympathy for the Christchurch homeowners whose tenants caused $100,000 worth of damage.

After not paying rent for three months, the tenants were given another three months to vacate. By the time they left, the house was trashed.

To compound the misery, the day after they left, the house was broken into and the hot water cylinder stolen, flooding the property. It was also contaminated by meth.

The homeowners had used a property management company to rent the house but even having professionals in charge was no defence against unscrupulous tenants.

Read the full article on Stuff.