Security guards, cleaners, electricians, plumbers, the waste company, the fumigation crew, and the generator diesel supplier. By the end of the year an average estate has paid a dozen or more vendors, and the treasurer is the only person who can explain what each payment was for, if they still remember.
The problem isn't the spending, it's the trail
- Invoices live in the chairman's WhatsApp, the treasurer's email and a folder someone's laptop.
- Nobody can say quickly how much the estate has spent on power this year versus last year.
- When the committee changes, the new treasurer starts from scratch.
- Residents suspect waste because they can't see the breakdown.
One register, every vendor
Keep a single list of every contractor the estate uses: company name, what they do, contact details and the contract terms. When a payment is made, link it to the vendor and the category. Over time you build a spending history per vendor that answers questions before they're asked.
Approve before you pay
Every payout should carry the name of who requested it and who approved it, ideally two people. Attach the vendor's invoice or quote to the record itself, not to a separate chat. When a resident asks "why did we spend ₦800,000 on security in March?", the answer is two clicks away.
Review contracts, don't just renew them
- Set a reminder before each contract expires so the committee can review performance and negotiate.
- Compare what you're paying with what neighbouring estates pay for the same service.
- Get at least two quotes for any job above a threshold the AGM agrees, such as ₦500,000.
- Keep the losing quotes on file. They show residents the committee shopped around.
How BreeUp helps
BreeUp keeps the estate's contractor list with contacts and contract details, and every expense goes into the spending log with the invoice and receipt attached.
Residents see an expense once it's published as a release of funds, and the committee can require a second approver for payouts above an amount it sets. At the AGM, the treasurer's statements and exports are ready.
