David Lawrenson of www.lettingfocus.com   is a full time property investor landlord, author, freelance property journalist, columnist, speaker, blogger (at www.lettingfocus.com/blog.html ) and media commentator on the residential property investment market.

He also runs occasional seminars and provides a one to one consultancy service for “accidental or reluctant landlords”, people wishing to move into buy to let for the first time and more experienced property investors.

As David is not linked to any developer, property club or finance provider he is uniquely able to provide unbiased independent advice on what is a good investment - and what is a dud. He also has no interest in talking up the market and in fact would prefer to see a weak market for a while to enable him to further build his own portfolio

Part of David's consultancy work now involves helping banks, building societies, housing associations with their buy to let products.

He also writes and edits for property and money portals. He wrote the guides for the Rightmove website.

In September 2005, his practical book, “Successful Property Letting - How to Make Money in Buy-to-Let” was published. The idea of the book was to tell people what they really needed to know to be successful in buy to let. Within only two months it had sold out its first print run and quickly went on to become the UK’s top selling property book.

The second edition has recently been published and is fully updated with all the latest on HMOs, disability laws, tenancy deposit schemes and the new tax rules.