How to Set Up a Block Document Library (So Nothing Gets Lost Again)
3 June 2026 · 6 min read
'Can someone resend the buildings insurance certificate?' If you run a block, you have heard this at least six times this year. Documents get emailed, forwarded, saved on someone's phone and then vanish. A shared document library fixes it permanently.
What belongs in the library
- Buildings insurance schedule and certificate (renewed annually).
- Latest service charge budget and year-end accounts.
- AGM and EGM minutes from the last three years.
- Fire risk assessment and any EWS1 or safety certificates.
- Major works quotes and Section 20 consultation notices.
- Managing agent contract and key contact details.
What does not work
- Email attachments — they die in individual inboxes.
- WhatsApp files — impossible to search and easy to lose when someone leaves.
- One director's Google Drive — fine until they move flat.
- Printed copies in a drawer — only help the person who knows where the drawer is.
Getting residents to actually use it
The library only works if it is the obvious place to look. Upload the essentials on day one, link to it in your welcome message for new residents, and post an announcement whenever you add something important. After a month, 'check the document library' becomes the default answer.
Start with the essentials
CommonCouncil includes a document library for every block — upload your insurance certificate and latest minutes today, and every resident can access them from their phone without asking you. Pair it with announcements so people know when something new is added.