thank you all for your support. it actually does help me feel better. the rational part of my brain tells me there is nothing to worry/stress about; another part of me just feels sick in the pit of my stomach. just to keep you informed of the saga: this morning got a long email from the tenant saying he had decided to reduce the rent by $160 until he gets the zoned heating he wants and the temperature-controller hot water. I have now changed to a new PM. snoopy and seechange: thanks for your support. landlubber: you are correct. the most important thing is my health. Peterw: the pm did seek assistance from the owner of the real estate agency, who told her not to spend any more money on the ppty. that hasn't worked. That seems to have incurred their wrath even more. I don't know that I will EVER allow Defence personnel to live in my properties. Brits: what can I say? with the benefit of hindsight you are correct. I was willing to be accommodating, not thinking that my 'niceness' would be taken advantage of. they loved the property when they inspected it. then the day the moved in, they turned into jeckyll and hyde--they became rude, belligerent, demanding and nit-picky. they forgot I had allowed them to pull up the carpet to install their bamboo; they forgot I had allowed them into the house one week before the lease and not charged them rent; they forgot I let them paint walls because they didn't like the colour. I have learned a hard lesson. I would lol if it wasn't so stressful.