Why Your Word Isn't Enough
You've texted your landlord about the mold three times. They ignore you. You call: no answer. When you finally escalate, they say they never heard about it. Without dated photos of the conditions AND your attempts to report them, it's your word against theirs. Tenant courts see this every single day.
What to Document
✓Physical conditions: mold, leaks, broken fixtures, pest infestations, lack of heat or hot water
✓Safety hazards: broken locks, missing smoke detectors, exposed wiring, structural damage
✓Before and after: move-in condition vs. current state
✓All communication: texts, emails, letters to landlord showing you reported the issue
✓Timeline: when the problem started, when you reported it, how long it's been unaddressed
✓Impact: how the issue affects your daily life or health
How to Create a Clear, Dated Record
Take photos and videos with an app that records the date, time, GPS location and device, and gets an independent timestamp when you certify. Follow the 5 rules for documenting evidence. It records the location and capture time supplied by your phone, so the date of each photo is clear.
For every issue:
✓Capture wide shots showing the room context
✓Capture close-ups of the specific damage
✓Record video for issues like active leaks or pests that photos can't show
✓Add notes describing what you see and smell
Tenant's camera roll photo ✕
- No verifiable date
- No location proof
- Easily questioned
SnapProof ✓
- Capture details recorded by your phone
- Independent timestamp at certification
- Fingerprint to check if the file changed
When to Escalate
1Document and communicate with your landlord in writing
2File complaints with local housing authority: attach evidence
3Consult a tenant rights attorney: bring your evidence timeline
4If needed, file in court with complete documentation
In every case, organized, timestamped, verifiable evidence is what gets results.
Mistakes Tenants Make
⚠Only taking photos after damage is severe: start documenting early
⚠Not recording the date: phone metadata can be questioned
⚠Sending photos only through text or WhatsApp: compression changes the file. Keep the originals.
⚠Not documenting communication attempts: the paper trail matters as much as the damage
