How to take photographs to evidence a housing disrepair claim?

Are you a tenant struggling with housing disrepair? If you are thinking of starting a housing disrepair claim, you should gather evidence first. In such claims, having photographs and recordings is crucial to support your case. By taking clear and suitable pictures, we can assess the extent of the disrepair and determine if it falls under the protection of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.

First of all, you don’t need any professional equipment. You can use one of commonly available devices to take pictures, such as smartphones, compact digital cameras, or even a tablet with a built-in camera. Choose the device that you are comfortable with and that allows you to capture clear and detailed images of the housing disrepair.

Always assess the lighting conditions before taking photographs. Aim to capture the images during daylight. If you’re taking pictures indoors, remember to open the curtains or blinds and switch on the lights. If the lighting is not sufficient, use the flash function on your camera.

You may come across disrepair and damages to your belongings, both inside and outside the property. Before taking pictures, inspect the property and prepare a list of disrepair for each area.

• Outside, you should look for issues with guttering, roof, windows, brickwork, and the chimney stack.
• Inside, disrepair commonly appears as structural cracks, dampness, mould, leaks, and broken fittings.

To effectively document the disrepair, take close-up pictures of the affected area as well as wider shots of the entire room:

• Begin by taking multiple close-up photographs of the disrepair from different angles. This will provide a clear and detailed view of the specific issue.
  
  
• Next, take wider shots that capture the entire area like wall or celling. It is crucial in providing context and helping us identify the precise location of the disrepair within the room.
  
  
• Take photographs that showcase the disrepair from a broader perspective, capturing the entire room in the frame. This will allow us to assess the overall impact of the disrepair on the space.
  

Repeat these steps for each room or area that has been affected by disrepair. Additionally, consider using videos as they can be valuable for capturing dynamic issues such as water leaks or faulty heating systems. Videos provide a visual demonstration of the problem, enabling us to better understand the severity and nature of the disrepair.

Once you have taken multiple photographs, review them and select the clean/sharp ones. The best practise is to label each photograph or series of them with the corresponding room it was taken in and the specific defect captured.

Select the most convenient option for sharing your pictures:

• sending via email
• sending via WhatsApp
• using google drive or another free transfer service

If you are unsure about the next step, contact us today at 020 8578 778 or email us at contact@silveroaksolicitors.com.