Every year or two, elections bring a new committee. The outgoing chairman hands over a folder, maybe a flash drive, and wishes you luck. Within a week the new treasurer is asking "where's the spreadsheet?" and nobody can find the security company's contract. A proper handover takes a few hours and saves the new committee months.
What to collect from the outgoing committee
- The estate's bank statements for the last two years and the current balance.
- The resident list: who lives where, their phone numbers and email addresses, and who is a tenant versus an owner.
- All contracts: security, cleaning, waste, power, water, maintenance. Include the terms, expiry dates and contact details.
- The last AGM minutes and any resolutions that need action.
- The estate's rules: deed of covenant, constitution, bye-laws, and any AGM-approved policies.
- Access credentials: bank signatories, software logins, email accounts, and the WhatsApp number if the estate has one.
- Outstanding issues: ongoing disputes, unpaid debts owed to or by the estate, and pending maintenance.
Your first month
- Secure the accounts
Change bank signatories to the new chairman and treasurer. This takes time at most Nigerian banks, so start on day one.
- Update admin access
Remove outgoing committee members' dashboard access and add the new team with the right permissions. Each person gets their own login.
- Verify the records
Check the resident list against who's actually living in the estate. Update moved-out tenants and add new ones.
- Review contracts
Read every contract. Know when each one expires, what it costs and whether the estate is happy with the service.
- Introduce yourselves
Send a short notice to every household: who's on the new committee, their roles, and how to reach them.
- Set the tone
Post a summary of what you've found, what's working, and what you plan to improve. Transparency from day one builds the trust you'll need later.
Don't start from scratch
If the estate already uses management software, the records are already there. The new committee takes over the same dashboard, with the full payment history, household directory and gate log. If the estate doesn't have software yet, this is the best time to start: you can import the resident list, set up billing and begin with a clean, complete record from day one.
