By Tony Booth

You can no longer simply sit back and collect the rental income generated without re-evaluating periodically whether your property is operating at an optimum level ... particularly when day-to-day supervision, letting and management is left in the hands of an agent.

Just about everything in the modern world needs updating on a regular basis for it to remain effective and that includes financial strategies such as pensions, share portfolios and buy-to-let properties.

Landlords are a diverse group of people.

While some may devote every working minute to their particular operation, dealing with issues of maintenance, accounting and portfolio expansion; others have busy lives in other careers, trades and professions or have extensive family commitments.