CAM audit data: how to read industry claims
TLDR: A market claim is not a client result. Check the lease, bill, backup, and open years. Report only what the file and source support.
Claim-level source: A direct link to the primary record or authoritative data behind one public claim. A link elsewhere on the page does not support a different claim.
"A big number can sound useful and still be the wrong fact for a client file. Show the source. Then show the lease and the checked math." - Angel Campa, Founder of CAMAudit
What this page can say
No neutral public dataset gives one US CAM error rate. That means we do not know one rate. Articles use a mix of samples and terms. Some lack a link to the first source.
This page does not give a mixed market rate. It does not treat a vendor blog as main proof.
The 2018 EIA survey counted 5.9 million US commercial buildings. EIA CBECS 2018 data. That count covers the survey's buildings. It does not measure CAM bills, errors, or results.
Grade the source before using the claim
Use this order:
| Source type | What it can support |
|---|---|
| Primary public record | The facts shown in that record |
| Public agency | Data or rules on its page |
| First-party data | Results for its stated sample |
| Vendor article | The author's view, not a market fact |
| Article citing another | A lead, not final proof |
A source must match the claim. A building-count source does not prove a CAM error rate. A case study does not prove a market average. A training page does not prove how many tenants audit.
Keep file math separate from market claims
File math can be exact when inputs are clear. A 3% error on $150,000 is $4,500. That example does not show how common the error is. It does not state another client's result.
For a live file, record:
- The lease clause
- The billed amount
- The checked formula
- The source document
- The review and dispute deadlines confirmed for that file
Treat case studies as case studies
A public record can show one case. Keep its name, link, date, facts, and result. Do not call one result an average or promise.
The same rule applies when no check flags an issue. That result does not prove every input was complete. It also does not prove each charge met the lease.
Model the partner job from known inputs
Use current pack prices, staff time, and the client fee. Mark each plan input as an estimate. Add real results after each job.
Results and dispute time depend on the file. A dispute letter draft should cite the lease and bill. It should also show checked math.
Related resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of CAM bills have errors?
No checked market rate fits one file. Sources use different groups and terms. Check the lease and bill first.
How much can a tenant recover from a CAM audit?
Recovery is file specific. It depends on the lease, statement, backup, open review years, findings, and landlord response.
How much does a CAM audit cost?
CAMAudit sells one-time audit packs and takes no share. See current pack prices. The partner sets its client fee.
What is the total U.S. CAM error market?
There is no checked public total. Do not use a vendor guess as a forecast for one client.
This page gives facts only. It is not legal or book advice. Check each source and file with an expert.