Glass of sherry part 2

This is a long drawn out story, I hope I do not bore anyone.
Soon after my father died I thought it would be prudent to purchase a property close to where my Mother was living, with the thought of eventually moving back to be near to her. Things did not work out that way though as I never went back at all to live.
Anyway I bought this property and my Mother and I went down cleaning and modernising the property, the aim was to let it furnished. Well one day while we were down at the property, a man knocked on the front door I went to see who it was, he asked me what I was going to do with the property. I informed him that I would be letting the property furnished. He told me that his daughter would be interested and could he bring her to see me. Well eventually we agreed a price and so I had a tenant. All was well for about 18 months then one night during the season she informed me that she had been offered a council house so decided to leave but knew someone who wanted the property to rent. I told her I was not happy at letting anyone have the property without first interviewing them, she assured me that all would be well. Stupidly I agreed mainly because I could not get over there for about 3 months. For the first couple of monthe rent was paid O K then all of a sudden, nothing, I eventually had to take him to court ans he did not appear so formal posession was granted. I was out of pocket with rent arrears ans court costs of around £1000. This was in the early 80s. To cut a long story short, the first time I went to visit the property was in September, I had just had my dinner at my Mothers when there was a knock on the door. It was the gas man he asked me if I had anything to do with 33 the property I had. I told him I was the owner, he said he wanted to gain access to read the gas meter. I walked down with him and told him that I was owed a lot of money, there were several catalogue demands for money. He went in and the first thing he said to me was that he thought the windows were frosted glass, then he could see that it was just filth. He eventually looked round, read the meter and said something that surprised me. " This man is not going to get away with this, I will make sure that when we find him, and we will because he will need gas or electricity wherever he goes, you will be given his address." I naturally didn't expect to hear anymore but my Mother rang me up several weeks later with the address of the man. He was now living in Boston. I contacted my solicitor, I managed to get about £25 off him then nothing. I decided to leave the debt on the books just in case he ever won the pools. The Lottery was not then conceived. Well after the dabble into rental properties I decided to sell. It was on the market for several weeks, but to be honest the place was in such a state. It cost me £50 to have the place cleared of furniture and carpets. One day out of the blue, I was at my Mothers, I used to go once a week in the winter months, she told me that a couple from over ther road asked her if I would consider renting out the property to her daughter becuse she had to move out of her rented accommodation as there was a compulsory purchase on it. My Mother informed them that almost certainly I would not but if her daughter came to see me then I could tell her myself.
The next week the daughter came to see me, asked if she could view the property, said it was just what they wanted, 3 bedrooms and they would be happy to clean the place as long as they could rent it. I told her that I was not prepared to rent the property but I was perepared to let her and her husband purchase the property, I being the guarantor and the rent they would normally pay would be the mortgage. I told her to inform her husband that I would give a favourable fixed interest of 4% per annum. The rates around then were about 9%. I gave her my phone number and told her that if she agreed, I would then arrange for both parties to go to my solicitor and draw up the contract. Her husband readily agreed and so we went to my solicitor. He tried to talk me into getting a better deal, I informed him that I was satified and that the mortgage would commence 2 weeks from the signing of the contract. The 2 weeks was to give them time to make the property habitable. My solicitor did, however insist that before they signed he would want proof that they had taken out an insurance policy covering either party if one of them died.
When all was done, Joan and John were so greatful and could not stop grovelling, I told them that I was happy to get rid of the property.
Her parents, who incidentally were very very nice, quiet reserved people, came over the road to see my Mother, they asked if I would go over and see them. When my Mother told me, I knew what was going to happen. I said to my Mam, that I did not wish to go but she insisted that I did. So over the road we went, I knocked on the door. I thought they were going to kiss my feet. They invited us in and asked if we would have a glass od sherry with them. I was about to say no when my Mother nudged me, so I politely said yes please. For the second time a bottle of sherry was opened especially for us, once again a decent quality of sherry. The mother did the talking stating that they all would be eternally greatful as Joan and John would never ever be able to afford a property under normal circumstances. I just told both that I was only to happy to get the property off my hands and this way helped 2 people.
These two insisted in calling me Mr as Joan and John did, I said I prefered to be called by my christian name, but they thought I was a cut above them. This was nonsense of course.
The final outcome was that about 3 years later Joan's husband John who was along distance lorry driver collapsed and died in one of the service stations. Her solicitor told her that although she had the money from the insurance, he suggested that she put the money in a Building Society and get more interest than what she was being charged. She told me that she sent the solicitor away with a flea in his ear as I had been goodness itself to her.
A few weeks later she was diagnosed with angina and sold the property to live with here eldest daughter. Sorry if it has been a bore.