Dying Acer?

Hello Gardening Lovelies,

Long story but ended up in a rented property, so inherited the plants that are already here and I am a bit worried about this Acer!

I have never had one before, and I am a gardening novice, but even I can tell this doesn't look very happy!

As it isn't my property, I don't want to do anything to it to make it worse but would like to take and revive it, as I do like Acers and it looks so sad

As you can see from the images it is in a pot and is quite near the property.

I am a full-time unpaid carer, so don't have pots of money to spend, but if there is anything I can reasonably do, I would like to try and hand it over when we leave, in a better condition that now, thank you

 

It does look like part of it is dead, but I think I can see a new shoot coming from the base.
Can you take a few more pictures, from different angles and a closer one near the base.

 

HI @pete

Thank you for getting back to me. Here are some more images. The compost around it seems low, I can get some more, but didn't know if it had to be a certain type?

 

In the first picture of this set it looks like the stem behind is dead, I'm thinking the old main stem has died back and it has put out a strong side shoot to replace it.
If that is the case I would cut back the dead wood to the live wood.

Regarding compost, go for ericaceous, personally I would take it out the pot and add a couple of inches of new compost in to bottom of the pot.
Put the plant back in and then add another half inch of compost on top to bring it up to and inch or so below the rim.

 

Brilliant @pete, many thanks. I will do that tomorrow