diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index b6c2175..9196323 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -43,15 +43,11 @@ build-backend = "poetry.core.masonry.api"
 strict = ["**"]
 exclude = [
     "**/bot.py",
-    "**/error_handler.py",
     "**/events.py",
     "**/gaming.py",
-    "**/member_counter.py",
     "**/remindme.py",
     "**/snailrace.py",
     "**/starboard.py",
-    "**/uptime.py",
-    "**/working_on.py",
     "**/utils/snailrace_utils.py",
 ]
 
diff --git a/uqcsbot/error_handler.py b/uqcsbot/error_handler.py
index 98a55bc..de60587 100644
--- a/uqcsbot/error_handler.py
+++ b/uqcsbot/error_handler.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from discord.ext import commands
-from discord.ext.commands.errors import MissingRequiredArgument
 import logging
+from typing import Any
+from uqcsbot.bot import UQCSBot
 
 """
 TODO: this is bundled with advent.py and should be removed.
@@ -9,8 +10,8 @@
 
 class ErrorHandler(commands.Cog):
     @commands.Cog.listener()
-    async def on_command_error(self, ctx: commands.Context, err):
-        if isinstance(err, MissingRequiredArgument):
+    async def on_command_error(self, ctx: commands.Context[UQCSBot], err: Any):
+        if isinstance(err, commands.errors.MissingRequiredArgument):
             await ctx.send(
                 "Missing required argument. For further information refer to `!help`"
             )
diff --git a/uqcsbot/member_counter.py b/uqcsbot/member_counter.py
index a6cda54..2e6939f 100644
--- a/uqcsbot/member_counter.py
+++ b/uqcsbot/member_counter.py
@@ -7,13 +7,15 @@
 from discord import app_commands
 from discord.ext import commands
 
+from uqcsbot.bot import UQCSBot
+
 
 class MemberCounter(commands.Cog):
     MEMBER_COUNT_PREFIX = "Member Count: "
     RATE_LIMIT = timedelta(minutes=5)
     NEW_MEMBER_TIME = timedelta(days=7)
 
-    def __init__(self, bot: commands.Bot):
+    def __init__(self, bot: UQCSBot):
         self.bot = bot
         self.last_rename_time = datetime.now()
         self.waiting_for_rename = False
@@ -43,7 +45,13 @@ async def on_ready(self):
             )
             return
 
+        if self.bot.user is None:
+            logging.warning("Could not find the bot's own id.")
+            return
         bot_member = self.bot.uqcs_server.get_member(self.bot.user.id)
+        if bot_member is None:
+            logging.warning("Could not find the bot's user.")
+            return
         permissions = self.member_count_channel.permissions_for(bot_member)
         if not permissions.manage_channels:
             logging.warning(
@@ -55,17 +63,27 @@ async def on_ready(self):
     @app_commands.command(name="membercount")
     async def member_count(self, interaction: discord.Interaction, force: bool = False):
         """Display the number of members"""
+        if interaction.guild is None:
+            logging.warning(
+                "Could not update member count as could not access members."
+            )
+            return
         new_members = [
             member
             for member in interaction.guild.members
-            if member.joined_at
+            if member.joined_at is not None
+            and member.joined_at
             > datetime.now(tz=ZoneInfo("Australia/Brisbane")) - self.NEW_MEMBER_TIME
         ]
         await interaction.response.send_message(
             f"There are currently {interaction.guild.member_count} members in the UQ Computing Society discord server, with {len(new_members)} joining in the last 7 days."
         )
 
-        if interaction.user.guild_permissions.manage_guild and force:
+        if (
+            isinstance(interaction.user, discord.Member)
+            and interaction.user.guild_permissions.manage_guild
+            and force
+        ):
             # this is dodgy, but the alternative is to restart the bot
             # if it gets caught in a loop of waiting for a broken rename
             self.waiting_for_rename = False
@@ -107,5 +125,5 @@ async def _update_member_count_channel_name(self):
         self.waiting_for_rename = False
 
 
-async def setup(bot: commands.Bot):
+async def setup(bot: UQCSBot):
     await bot.add_cog(MemberCounter(bot))
diff --git a/uqcsbot/uptime.py b/uqcsbot/uptime.py
index ad38d7c..f1caaa2 100644
--- a/uqcsbot/uptime.py
+++ b/uqcsbot/uptime.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ async def on_ready(self):
             self.bot.uqcs_server.channels, name=self.CHANNEL_NAME
         )
 
-        if channel is not None:
+        if isinstance(channel, discord.TextChannel):
             if random.randint(1, 100) == 1:
                 await channel.send("Oopsie, I webooted uwu >_<")
             else:
diff --git a/uqcsbot/working_on.py b/uqcsbot/working_on.py
index e3af632..8ebfea1 100644
--- a/uqcsbot/working_on.py
+++ b/uqcsbot/working_on.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def __init__(self, bot: UQCSBot):
     async def workingon(self):
         """5pm ping for 2 lucky server members to share what they have been working on."""
         members = list(self.bot.get_all_members())
-        message = []
+        message: list[str] = []
 
         while len(message) < 2:
             chosen = choice(members)
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ async def workingon(self):
             self.bot.uqcs_server.channels, name=GENERAL_CHANNEL
         )
 
-        if general_channel is not None:
+        if isinstance(general_channel, discord.TextChannel):
             await general_channel.send(
                 "\n".join(message),
                 allowed_mentions=discord.AllowedMentions(