Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa November 2015 | Page 30

RENTING

The Business of

Buy-To-Let

Buy-to-Let Asset Management
BY GERT VAN STADEN

A

ll businesses have assets. Asset management
is generally defined as the process of making
the best use of these assets to maximise value
and provide the best possible returns. In a buy-to-let
property investment business, the primary assets are
the physical properties, and these properties must be
managed and maintained on an ongoing basis.
Consequences of neglect
Financial constraints certainly curtail the ability to
tend to the seemingly never-ending requirements to
patch, paint, repair and replace fixtures and fittings, and
to deal with mould, pests and normal wear and tear.
However, the long-term consequences of neglecting
regular maintenance are far more costly. Experts
estimate that the cost of delayed maintenance can