Service charge in Lagos: what it should cover and what to ask

What it should cover

• Security staff and gate arrangements.
• Waste collection and common-area cleaning.
• Common-area lighting, pumps, lifts and gates.
• Generator fuel and maintenance where the block runs one.
• Maintenance of shared drainage, grounds and access roads.

What to ask before you accept it

• Can I see last year's breakdown and this year's budget?
• Who collects and administers it: landlord, facility manager or residents' association?
• Is it reconciled at year end, and what happens to a surplus or shortfall?
• Is diesel inside the charge or billed separately?
• Are repairs inside my flat excluded? They should be.

Warning signs

• A round figure with no breakdown at all.
• A charge that has doubled in a year with no explanation.
• Charges for facilities that do not work: a broken lift, a dry pool, a dead generator.
• Being asked to pay service charge in cash to an individual.