Practical guide
How to gather evidence and document damage in a condominium
Documenting damage means building, from the very first moment, the body of evidence that will let you prove what happened, where, when and to what extent. It is the basis on which the loss adjuster quantifies the indemnity and on which, in case of dispute, the condominium's position is defended before the company or a judge. Incomplete documentation is the most frequent cause of reduced settlements and of arguments over the allocation of uncovered costs. The practical rule is simple: collect immediately, date everything, throw nothing away before the inspection. It applies to a sudden flood as to a slow infiltration, to damage to common parts as to damage the condominium caused to third parties.
What to collect to document the damage
- Dated photographs of the damage and its context, from several angles
- A short video showing the overall premises, useful for floods and ongoing events
- Inspection report with date, place, objective description and people present
- Written report by the owner who noticed the problem
- Proof of the cause: pipe rupture, plaster detachment, system defect
- Repair quotes from qualified companies
- Invoices for the urgent measures already taken to limit the damage
- Correspondence with the insurer, the adjuster and the owners involved
Photos and videos: how to make them usable
Photographic evidence is the most immediate, but it loses value if it is not datable and contextualised. It is best to take several images of the same damage from different angles, include a dimensional reference where needed, and capture the surrounding context, not just the detail. An infiltration photographed close up says little without the framing of the wall and ceiling affected.
The date is crucial. Devices automatically record the moment of the shot in the file metadata, which should be kept without reprocessing the image. For ongoing events, such as a flood, a short video shows the dynamics better than any description and documents the real extent of the phenomenon before the drying operations.
The inspection report and witness statements
Alongside the images, a written document is needed to fix the facts. An inspection report, even a simple one, must state the date and time of the inspection, the precise location, an objective description of the damage, the apparent causes and the names of the people present. It must stick to the observed facts, without attributing liability or estimating amounts, assessments that belong to the adjuster.
The written report of the owner who discovered the problem fixes the moment of awareness of the loss, from which the notice deadline of Article 1913 of the Italian Civil Code runs. Statements from those who witnessed the event or its immediate consequences complete the picture and can prove decisive when the cause of the damage is no longer visible at the time of the adjuster's inspection.
Proving the cause, not just the effect
The visible damage is the effect: the stain, the crack, the flooded floor. But the indemnity and any allocation depend on the cause, and it is the cause that must be documented most carefully. If an infiltration comes from the rupture of a common pipe, keep proof of that rupture, perhaps with the plumber's invoice and a short report. If a falling cornice damaged a car, you need to prove the maintenance condition of the facade.
On damage caused by common parts, Article 2051 of the Italian Civil Code places liability on the condominium, as custodian, for damage produced by things in its custody, unless it proves a fortuitous event. Documenting the cause therefore also serves to delimit the condominium's liability against that of third parties, of an owner or of an exceptional event.
Organising the file before you need it
The evidence collected is worth something only if it stays retrievable when the company asks for it or when the allocation is challenged at the meeting. The real risk is that photos, reports, quotes and invoices scatter across mailboxes, phones and different folders, especially if the case drags on for months. A single file per loss, ordered by date, is the best insurance against requests for additions.
With AmministraPro the manager creates a record for each loss linked to the condominium, attaches photos, reports, notices and quotes, and instantly retrieves the whole history of the case even long afterwards or during a handover. The documentation stays next to the accounting that will generate the cost allocation, so every figure is traceable to its source. The document management features are described on /funzioni and the plans on /prezzi.
Frequently asked questions
Do photos taken with a smartphone have evidentiary value?
Yes, digital photographs are commonly used in claims and in court, provided they are genuine and contextualised. Their value increases if they keep the metadata with the date and time of the shot, if they show the damage from several angles and if they are accompanied by a report describing place and circumstances. It is best not to alter or heavily crop the images, because manipulation can call their authenticity into question before the adjuster or the judge.
Must I wait for the adjuster before repairing the damage?
As a rule yes, to avoid compromising the assessment, but the duty to mitigate under Article 1914 of the Italian Civil Code still requires urgent measures to limit the damage. The solution is to carefully document the state of the premises with photos and video before the safety intervention, so the adjuster can reconstruct cause and extent even if the area was later made safe. Definitive repairs, where possible, are best postponed until after the inspection.
Who draws up the inspection report of the damage?
There is no mandatory form: the report can be drawn up by the manager, possibly with the help of a trusted technician or the company that carried out the safety work. What matters is that it states the date, place, objective description of the facts and people present, without straying into assessments of liability or amount. If the damage involves third parties or other owners, having their signature or presence strengthens the document.
Why is it important to document the cause and not just the visible damage?
Because indemnity, liability and allocation depend on the origin of the damage. On common parts, Article 2051 of the Italian Civil Code places on the condominium, as custodian, liability for damage from things in custody unless a fortuitous event is proven. Proving that the cause was, for example, the rupture of a common pipe rather than a defect in a private unit changes who pays and by what criteria. Documenting the cause delimits liability and prevents disputes over the allocation.
How do I keep all the evidence of a loss together over time?
The safest way is a single digital file per loss, ordered by date, gathering photos, reports, notices, quotes, invoices and correspondence. Documentation scattered across phones and emails gets lost, especially when the case lasts months or the manager changes. In AmministraPro each loss has its record linked to the condominium and the accounting, with attachments always retrievable; the features are on /funzioni and the plans on /prezzi.
Try AmministraPro
Accounting, thousandths-based cost splitting, meetings, communications and artificial intelligence in a single Italian software, compliant with UNI 10801 and GDPR.