Tips on Tenancy Deposit Disputes 5: Date Your Evidence

Tip 5: Date your evidence

Whatever form your evidence takes, from pictures and video to receipts and estimates, it should be clearly dated so that an adjudicator can be sure it relates to the claim in question.

Make sure that the date stamp on your camera is turned on, or buy a copy of today’s paper and put it in your shots. While it is possible to fake date stamps, and even newspapers, adjudicators are looking for evidential weight. Unless there is reason to suspect that evidence has been fabricated, such as the picture of a garden supposedly taken in August with barely a leaf on any of the trees, a plausible date adds weight to your case.

Naturally, receipts or other professional documents that aren’t dated arouse suspicion, so make sure that your tradesmen or suppliers put the date on their paperwork. If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of relying on an undated piece of evidence in a dispute, try to submit some corroborating evidence, such as a bank statement or email, to show that your evidence is bona fide.

Tom Derrett is the Principal of Deposit Claim, an ex-adjudicator and an expert on the Deposit Protection Schemes.

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