How to photograph a rented scooter or motorbike before you ride, so you are not blamed for old damage

1. The whole bike from the front, the back and both sides, a few metres away, so each side is in frame.

2. The number plate, close enough to read, and the bike's key and any spare key.

3. Every scratch, crack, dent and scuff on the plastic panels, the tank, the seat and the exhaust guard, close up and then one step back, so the position is clear. A coin beside a scratch shows its size.

4. The mirrors, the handlebar ends, the levers and the indicators: these break easily and are often cracked already.

5. Both tyres, and the wheels and brake discs. Check the tread and the pressure yourself.

6. The dashboard with the ignition on, showing the fuel level and the odometer, and check that the lights, horn and brakes work.

7. The helmet you are given, inside and out, and any lock, chain or box that comes with the bike.

8. The paperwork: the rental agreement, the price sheet for damage if there is one, and any deposit receipt.

Yes to the video: a slow walkaround, once round the bike and then a close look at each mark, is quick and covers all sides in one take. Say the date, the shop's name and the plate aloud at the start.

It also helps to include the shop or its sign in at least one photo, and to have the owner or an employee in a frame or the video while you point out a mark, so it is clear the damage was there while the bike was still in their hands.

• Ask the staff to note the marks on the form or write them on your copy of the agreement, and to initial it.
• Ask what you pay for each kind of damage, and get the prices in writing or photograph the price sheet.
• Offer a cash deposit or a copy of your passport rather than the passport itself. Official travel advice in several countries tells travellers not to hand over their passport as a deposit, so check your own government's advice.
• Ask what happens if the bike is stolen or breaks down, and who to call.
• Keep your own lock and, if you can, tell your insurer. Many travel policies do not cover scooters unless you hold the right licence, so check before you ride.

• Return the bike when the owner is there, in daylight, and repeat the same photos in the same order, with the shop's sign in at least one.
• Ask the owner to look it over with you before you hand over the key, and to confirm in writing or in your video that they have no complaint.
• If the shop claims damage, ask exactly where it is and photograph it, compare it with your pickup photos, and do not pay on the spot if you disagree: ask for an itemised written bill.
• If they refuse to return your deposit, keep all the photos and messages, and contact your card issuer, your insurer, the tourist police or a consumer advice service, depending on where you are.

The iPhone Camera saves the date and time in each photo's hidden data, and the coordinates if Location Services is on for the Camera. That data is often removed when photos are sent through a chat app, a web form or an email service, so the person reading your complaint may only see the picture.

Check that your phone's date and time are set automatically, especially after a flight, because a wrong clock makes every photo wrong. Keep the original photos on your phone as well as any copies you send, and send the pickup set and the return set together. A date and place printed on the image itself stay visible wherever the file goes.