Condo issue log: what to record, which photos, and for how long

A leak reported three times in two years becomes a solid case — provided you kept the dates and the photos. Here is what to record, and how.

A damp patch appears on the lobby ceiling. Someone reports it to the property manager. Six months later the patch has doubled, another owner reports it in turn, and the manager replies that they were never alerted. Nobody can prove otherwise.

That is exactly what an issue log is for: turning a scattered series of reports into a dated file. It is neither red tape nor a weapon — it is what lets you say, two years later, that the problem was known from day one.

The 9 things to record

A properly logged issue takes two minutes. A badly logged issue is worth nothing at all.

1. Date and time observed — not the date it was typed in, the date it was actually seen.
2. Precise location: "building A lobby, north-west corner of the ceiling", not "in the lobby".
3. Nature of the defect, described factually: what can be seen, heard or smelled.
4. Who observed it: name and capacity (owner, caretaker, board member).
5. Who was informed, when and through which channel: the most frequently forgotten point, and the most decisive.
6. Severity and urgency: separate what threatens safety from what is cosmetic.
7. Dated photos, taken on the day it was observed.
8. Actions taken: call-out, quote requested, insurance claim, follow-up.
9. Closing date and final status: resolved, recurring, or closed with no action.

The photo that helps, and the one that does not

A useful defect photo follows three simple rules. First, a wide shot that places the defect in the building — a close-up of a crack does not prove where it is. Second, a sharp close-up with something for scale: a coin, a tape measure, a hand. Third, a follow-up photo from the same spot and the same angle a few weeks later: it is the comparison that demonstrates progression.

What does not help: a blurred photo, a photo with no context, and a photo nobody can date. An image cut off from its date loses most of its value.

What data protection rules forbid you to photograph

The issue log documents the building, not people. Avoid photographing identifiable occupants, licence plates, or the inside of a private flat without the written consent of its occupant.

Avoid naming an owner in the description field when it is not necessary: "water damage originating from unit 12" is enough and stays factual. Our article on data protection in condo associations covers the habits a board should adopt.

The log documents a building, not its residents.

How long to keep it

Match the retention period to how the file might be used. An issue linked to recent works may still matter for the whole warranty period of the structure, potentially ten years. An issue linked to an insured claim should be kept at least until the claim and its consequences are settled.

In practice, keep structural issues long-term and purge minor resolved ones after a few years. What you must never delete is a recurring issue: its repetition is precisely what makes it evidence.

Three concrete uses

• At the general meeting: a quantified history beats a debate of impressions. "Eleven lift breakdowns in eighteen months" carries a decision that "it breaks down a lot" never will.
• With the insurer: a claim backed by dated, photographed observations is processed faster and challenged less often. See insurance claims in condo associations.
• With a contractor: the documented repetition of the same defect after a call-out is the central argument for invoking a warranty.

From notebook to shared log

A log kept by one person disappears with that person. It is the main flaw of the paper notebook and the personal file: when the board changes, the history evaporates. See how to run a successful handover.

With CoproHarmony every issue is recorded with its date, photos, owner and full history, visible to the whole board. The entire list or a single issue exports to PDF — for the meeting, for the insurer, or for the annual report. Create your space for free, no credit card.

For the reporting method itself, read the simple method to report and track an issue, and for building projects, the works tracking table.

Two uses make the log indispensable: tracking damp over time and justifying an emergency intervention.