A homeowner says she was told the value of her home had dropped – possibly by up to £10,000 – due to the state of surrounding roads.

Jackie Andresen, who lives in Lakewood Drive in Tunbridge Wells, says the ward she lives in, Sherwood, is becoming “just a mass of potholes” and the situation isn't good enough.

Mrs Andresen said: "No street in Sherwood is without a pothole or patchwork.

"Is there a class divide when it comes to road maintenance?

"I am getting ever more disheartened with the poor condition of every street in my Sherwood neighbourhood.

"We're still paying the same council tax as the more affluent-looking parts of this Royal town, but it seems we get over-looked when it comes to road maintenance.

"A while ago, we had our house's first revalution and our independent valuer told us at the end of his visit that the market value of our property is diminished by the very fact of the poor road conditions, as clearly seen by anyone who drives through this quiet and almost sleepy part of town."

Mrs Andresen added: "It may be worth between £5,000 and £10,000 lower than otherwise.

"Seven years after we moved down from London – to be in a greener, commutable town to London – we feel a bit let down with the potholes widening and getting deeper, and more appearing all the time.

"I have so much sympathy for my neighbours in Rankin Road – it is so ugly there with patches everywhere.

"I used to walk through that street to get to High Brooms Station. Boy ... it is really depressing now!"

Mrs Andresen said she frequently walks around the neighbourhood to clock up her 10,000 steps on her Fitbit.

Disturbed at what she has seen, she wrote to her three ward borough councillors, who said it was KCC's responsibility.

Mrs Andresen sent all the councillors a catalogue of 100 photographs indicating problems in 14 local streets including Allandale Road, Harries Road, Clifton Road, Birkin Road, Greggs Wood Road, Brook Road and Burslem Road.

However, ward councillor Hugo Pound said: "There is very little I can do to influence the county council to address these problems."

But he said he was sure KCC was aware "of how dissatisfied many residents are with the terrible state of our roads."

But he warned: "Kent County Council is very short of money. I am less than confident that anything will be done any time soon, I’m afraid. "

Subsequently, Mrs Andresen – who works for a charity in London – contacted her KCC member, Cllr Paul Barrington-King, who forwarded her complaint to Kent Highways.

That was on February 14. Since then she has heard nothing.

She said: "It seems to me that we have money to support wars and give relief to all kinds of people around the world, but when it comes to basic services for the people in this country, there is no money left."

A spokesman for KCC said: "Following winter weather in recent months, roads across the country have seen a rise in faults such as potholes and other defects.

"Ensuring the safety of those who use our roads is a top priority, which is why we investigate faults and seek to carry out a permanent repair in an appropriate time-frame after becoming aware of them.

"We would encourage road users to report all faults to us directly through our fault reporting tool at kent.gov.uk/highways.”

Tom Ross-Bason is operations director at Wards estate agents. He said: "Roads everywhere have had issues since the big freeze this past winter and, in areas where it is bustling with life, it’s not uncommon that these patched repairs will be seen.

"However, homes in this area are close to the town centre and around a 20-minute walk to High Brooms Station. Features such as spacious rooms and good-sized gardens are the main focus for these homes.”