Second home owners in Normandy should make arrangements now to protect their property after they return to the UK at the end of summer. Leaving a home unattended for weeks and even months on end can bring a host of problems if it is not properly secured and has no one checking it regularly.

Everything from burst pipes in the winter to the nightmare of a break-in can turn a pleasant property-owning experience into a stressful one.

Some second home owners in France rely on good neighbours or friends to keep an eye on their property, but more are now taking advantage of property management services, which are proving increasingly popular in Normandy.

Unfortunately, like many rural areas, crime is increasing and there have been instances of second homes being targeted by opportunist thieves.

Jane Wilson, who owns a property near Bayeux in the Manche, said: “When I bought my house 25 years ago, you didn’t really worry about anything.

“But last winter thieves made off with a lot of expensive tools in the workshop, the television, DVD player and even the kitchen pots and pans.

“When I spoke to the gendarmes, they told me that seven other houses owned by English people had also been broken into.

“We were covered by our insurance, but it was a horrible experience and now I am always worried about the house.”

According to Sally Stone, owner and found of the property management network Les Bons Voisins, one of the problems for British second home owners in particular is that they tend to fall in love with isolated properties.

However, they do not think much about the fact that the ongoing caretaking of the property needs a budget, or about the burden they may be placing on friends who live near and have offered to look after it.

“Of course they will look after it, but in a casual way which is difficult to police,” she said. “There is nothing worse than finding that a burst pipe has undone all the DIY you spent your last holiday doing.”

Another must is making sure your insurance covers you for long absences: a lot of policies do not. Quite stringent conditions can apply once the property is empty for more than 30 days, such as draining water systems and turning off the electricity.

Some policies will pay for the cost of having to travel to your holiday home to carry out emergency repairs.

It is also a good idea to get someone to keep the outside of the house looking tidy by keeping the grass cut and the weeds down, as a bedraggled looking property can be a sign that it has no one living there full-time.

It is no surprise that property care-taking and management is a growth area in Normandy. These kinds of services cover everything from key-holding with regular checks and photographs and a monthly email report, to maintenance, gardening and emergency callouts.

According to Ms Stone, the service typically costs between €18 and €25 an hour depending on what is required.