Partner CAM audit findings quality check

Partner CAM audit findings quality check

Do not send raw flags to a client.

CAMAudit helps partners find review candidates. The partner still owns the review step. Compare the flag to the lease. Check the math. Decide whether the wording is fair. Remove anything that does not belong in a client report.

This checklist is the step between detection and delivery.

The quality check standard

Every finding should pass five tests before the client sees it:

1. The document source is clear.
2. The lease provision supports the concern.
3. The math can be recreated.
4. The wording stays inside audit scope.
5. The next step is clear.

If one test fails, hold the finding until the partner can fix it.

The five-pass review

Use this order. It keeps the review from turning into a long second audit.

Pass	Question	Keep the finding when
Source	Where did the charge appear?	The statement, backup, or ledger has a clear line item
Lease	What provision controls it?	The lease or amendment supports the exclusion, cap, share, base year, or fee issue
Math	Can we recreate the number?	The calculation is visible and tied to the source documents
Wording	Are we overstating?	The language describes a review concern, not a legal conclusion
Action	What should the client do next?	The next step is document request, correction package, counsel review, or no action

This pass should be short. If a finding takes too long to prove, it is not ready.

Source check

Start with the document. Do not start with the conclusion.

For each finding, write down:

• Document name
• Page number or section
• Line item name
• Amount
• Year covered
• Entity or location

If the source is not clear, the client cannot explain it. The landlord cannot respond to it either.

Use this rule:

"No source, no finding."

Lease support check

A charge can feel unfair and still be allowed by the lease.

Before sending a finding, identify the lease provision that controls the issue:

Finding type	Lease support to check
Excluded charge	Expense exclusions, CAM definition, landlord cost limits
Management fee	Fee percentage, fee base, admin fee language
Pro-rata share	Premises area, project area, denominator, excluded areas
Gross-up	Gross-up threshold, variable expense categories, occupancy standard
CAM cap	Controllable expense definition, cap percentage, carry-forward rules
Base year	Base year definition, exclusions, reset language
Tax or insurance issue	Tax pass-through clause, insurance clause, special assessment language

If the lease is silent, change the finding from a claim to a question.

Example:

"This charge should be reviewed because the reconciliation does not show whether it falls inside the CAM definition."

Math check

The partner should be able to recreate the amount before the client meeting.

Use a simple math sheet:

Field	Example
Billed amount	$12,400
Lease-allowed amount	$9,300
Difference	$3,100
Source	2025 CAM reconciliation, page 4
Lease support	Section 8.3 management fee cap
Open question	Confirm whether admin fee is separate or included

Do not hide open questions. Open questions are often the reason to request backup from the landlord.

Wording check

Use careful language.

Preferred wording:

• "Appears inconsistent with"
• "Requires backup"
• "Needs review against"
• "May exceed"
• "Potential overcharge"
• "Partner should confirm"
• "Counsel should review before dispute language is used"

Avoid wording like:

• "Illegal"
• "Fraud"
• "Bad faith"
• "The landlord owes"
• "Recovery is certain"
• "Violation of state law"
• "We proved"

The partner can be direct without becoming reckless.

Client meeting readiness

Before the findings call, sort findings into three groups.

Group	Meaning	How to present
Strong	Source, lease, and math are clear	Present as a likely correction item
Needs backup	Source exists but landlord detail is missing	Present as a document request item
Hold	Lease, math, or legal posture is unclear	Do not present unless needed for context

The client does not need every internal note. They need the issues that are ready for a business decision.

Remove-list checks

Remove or hold the finding when any of these are true:

• The lease clearly allows the charge
• The charge is outside the engagement year
• The wrong location or entity is attached
• The math cannot be recreated
• The source document is missing
• The amount is too small for the engagement scope
• The language would sound like legal advice
• The issue depends on state law rather than lease math
• The client has not authorized the partner to use the document

Holding a weak finding is not a loss. It protects the good findings.

What to send the client

The final client packet should include:

• Short findings summary
• Finding table
• Source document references
• Lease section references
• Estimated exposure, if supported
• Open landlord backup requests
• Recommended next step
• Legal boundary note

Keep the packet clean. A client should read it in one sitting. They should know what decision is needed.

Review checklist

Use this checklist before every findings call.

Check	Yes or no
The lease and amendments are complete
Each finding has a source document
Each finding has lease support or is framed as a backup request
Each calculation can be recreated
Findings are sorted into strong, needs backup, and hold
Legal conclusions have been removed
Counsel-review language is included where needed
The client next step is clear
Weak findings have been held back
The partner has reviewed the final packet

If the answer is no on any row, fix that row before sending.

The rule to remember

CAMAudit can make the review faster.

The partner makes it client-ready.

That final review is what makes the service professional work. It is more than a software output.