I’m going back in April to do the same and I live in Ashby De la Zouch so I rented here I’m Pattaya for 1 year and in the last 3 months looked to buy. So now have an apartment and just bought land in the village.
If he rents out any small problems with the house he will get ripped off by contractors. Also Uk is all a mess now with everything you only need to get a tennant not pay and it will cost arm and a leg to get back and sort it