tom wrote:

If it has been too warm and dry over the winter it will lose a few leave
by drying out and desicating but will put on new top growth now.

But it is much easier to kill them by overwatering than by any amount of
neglect. Is the stem near the base brown and rotten?

No it looks a bit brown on one side, but green on the other. he 2
leaves that are coming out from the middle are a lot greener than the
others. It has 6 leaves in total.

It is probably fine then and once it starts growing properly you can
wter it whenever it has dried out.

I have just watered it though as it was as dry as a bone, but from
what you have said I am known for overwatering things.

How often should it be watered. Any how much water should I give it.

Let it dry out almost completely between waterings. When you water it
give it plenty but don't leave it standing in water - they don't like
wet feet. And they do like an open gritty free draining compost.

I'm unsure what you mean by chopping it off, because the new leaves
come up through the middle. Should I just strip the brown leaves off?

I would leave well alone. I think what has happened is that its winter
quarters were too warm and it has dessicated a couple of leaves. Don't
worry it will grow enough new ones to be fine.

It is actually rather hard to kill A. vera. But if you do manage to rot
the roots off you have only a short time before the rot goes up the main
stem and kills the plant entirely.

Regards,
Martin Brown