"Louise Bremner" <dame_zumari@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1gehhyo.y3ec6z8tfnkN%dame_zumari@yahoo.com...
> necoandjeff <spam@schrepfer.com> wrote:
>
> > > Make sure when you move into the new place you take photos of every
bit of
> > > damage.
> > > Thats what I did when I was living in a shit hole.
> >
> > If you're taking a picture of preexisting damage, I would also advise
taking
> > a set of those photographs as soon as they are developed, placing them
in a
> > well-sealed envelope and mailing them to yourself. Once you get them
back,
> > make sure the postmark (the date) is clearly visible and then just put
the
> > envelope away without opening it. It isn't bullet proof (any good lawyer
> > could demonstrate how such a package may have been faked by sending an
> > unsealed or lightly sealed envelope to get it postmarked and then
placing
> > the photos in much later and sealing it), but, for purposes of
confronting
> > the landlord, you have a much better argument that you can prove the
damage
> > existed when you moved in and that you didn't just take the photos a few
> > weeks ago. Even better, you might be able to find a way of having the
photos
> > dated and stamped by a notary, though I have never done this in Japan.
>
> That's the only valid reason I can think of for using that naff
> date-stamp "feature" of point-and-shoot cameras. Digital cameras have
> EXIF data, which includes the date and time, but maybe that's too
> high-tech for landlords to comprehend.
>
> Of course, both can be diddled by resetting the date of the camera.

Yep. Way too easy to fake which means landlords may have a tendency to
laugh. Sealed envelope is a little more compelling. So, that means there is
ABSOLUTELY NO reason for those stupid date stamps that people like to
plaster all over otherwise perfectly good photographs...