Anyone else had a tenant claim damage was there before they moved in?

Question

Learned this the expensive way, sharing so you don't.

Had a tenant move out and try to claim a bunch of damage was there before they moved in. I had taken move-in photos — but they were just regular phone pics. The tenant argued they could've been edited, or taken any old time. With no way to prove they were real and untouched, they were basically useless in the dispute.

Now I document every move-in and move-out with a tool that seals each photo — proof it was shot live on the spot, not filtered, edited, or pulled from the camera roll, and locked to the exact date and time. So nobody can argue the photo's been doctored or that I took it whenever it suited me.

Happy to drop the (free) tool in the comments if anyone wants it — don't want to spam. Main point: a regular photo proves almost nothing in a dispute. It has to be provably real and dated.

Travis Main · Answer

Hey Shimon,

Can you send me a DM with the information?

Jim Johnson · Answer

Hey Shimon,

Good documentation is one of those things you don't fully appreciate until a dispute comes up. Along with photos, I've found that having a detailed move-in checklist that's acknowledged by the tenant can make those conversations a lot easier.

I also like doing a quick walkthrough video at move-in and move-out since it captures the overall condition in a way individual photos sometimes can't. The more complete the record, the less room there is for disagreement later on.

Jon Westrom · Answer

Photos are helpful, but process is what protects you. A strong move-in inspection, signed condition report, dated photos, and a matching move-out file can save a lot of arguments later. Owners sometimes think documentation is busy work until the first deposit dispute shows up. Good management is boring on purpose... because boring systems keep problems small.

David Peschio · Answer

We use an app - Zinspector.  This has it dated and creates a file.  When you do a move in and a move out you have the ability to use a side by side comparision.  Very easy to use and holds up in court.

Anyone else had a tenant claim damage was there before they moved in?

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