Why a timeline is the single most useful document
Every NCAT-style dispute we see comes down to two questions: was the issue real, and was it raised. A timeline answers the second one in a single page. If you can put a dated, in-writing record of every report, every response and every silence in front of a tribunal member, half the work is done.
Most renters lose on the second question — not because they didn't report, but because they reported verbally, lost the messages, or can't remember the order.
What goes on the timeline
A useful timeline has one row per event with four columns: date, what happened, who was involved, and where the evidence sits. Nothing else.
- →First date you noticed the issue (even if approximate — write 'around early March' rather than leaving it out)
- →Every time you reported in writing, with a link or filename for the message
- →Every response (or non-response) from the agent, with date
- →Any inspections, repair attempts or works performed, with date and who attended
- →Health events, if relevant (a GP visit, a child's asthma flare) — date only, no diagnosis claims
- →Any photos you took, referenced by filename
How to keep it credible
Three rules. Stick to facts. Don't editorialise. Don't backfill.
If you genuinely don't remember an exact date, write '~ April' or 'sometime after Easter'. That's more credible than a precise date you can't actually support if challenged. A tribunal member can spot a manufactured timeline immediately.
A simple template you can copy
Open a Google Doc or a notes file and use this format:
- →2024-11-12 — Reported water staining on bedroom ceiling via agent portal. Reference: message #4421.
- →2024-11-18 — No response received.
- →2024-11-25 — Followed up by email. Attached photos IMG_0234, IMG_0235.
- →2024-12-02 — Agent replied: 'We will inspect.' No date given.
- →2024-12-19 — Tradesperson attended, took photos, said 'we'll get back to you.' No follow-up received.
How we use your timeline
If you book an Evidence Review or an NCAT pack, we work directly from your timeline. The cleaner and earlier you start it, the cheaper and faster our work is — and the stronger your case is, regardless of whether we're involved.