How big of a jump is normal for CAM year over year?

Typical CAM increases track CPI or building operating cost inflation, usually 2 to 5 percent annually. A 30 percent or greater jump almost always contains at least one billing error or a capital expense that was improperly reclassified. CAMAudit flags the specific rule violations so you know exactly what to dispute rather than guessing.

Can I dispute a reconciliation even if I already paid it?

Yes, most commercial leases include an audit rights clause that gives you 12 to 36 months after receiving a reconciliation to dispute it in writing, even if you have already paid. CAMAudit extracts your dispute window from your lease documents and alerts you if you are approaching the deadline.

What if my landlord refuses to provide backup documentation?

Your lease almost certainly grants you the right to inspect CAM records. Document the refusal in writing and reference the specific lease clause. The CAMAudit findings report gives you the line items to request specifically, which makes your records request harder to ignore.

Something Just Happened

My CAM reconciliation just went up 30% or more year over year

A 30% or more jump in your CAM reconciliation is a red flag that almost always warrants a closer look. In most cases the spike traces back to one or two specific billing errors, not a genuine cost increase across the board. CAMAudit can pinpoint the exact line items driving the increase in under 5 minutes.

TL;DR

Running the audit takes about five minutes to upload your documents; not running it means you pay an inflated bill now and lock in that inflated base for every future year.

Who this is for

Commercial tenants with a NNN or modified gross lease who received an annual reconciliation statement showing a significant year-over-year increase and want to know whether the math is correct.

Who this is not for

Tenants on a full gross lease where the landlord absorbs all operating expenses, or tenants in the first year of a lease with no prior-year baseline to compare.

What CAMAudit Checks in This Scenario

Rule 6

CAM Cap Violation

CAMAudit checks whether your lease includes a controllable-expense cap and verifies that the reconciliation figure stays within that limit. A 30% spike is often caused by a landlord ignoring or miscalculating the cap.

Rule 3

Management Fee Overcharge

The scan compares the management fee percentage on your reconciliation against the cap written into your lease. Inflated management fees frequently account for a disproportionate share of year-over-year increases.

Rule 4

Pro-Rata Share Error

CAMAudit recalculates your pro-rata share using the GLA denominator your lease defines and flags any discrepancy. Anchor tenant exclusions that shrink the denominator are a common source of artificial spikes.

Rule 5

Gross-Up Violation

The tool checks whether gross-up has been applied at a building occupancy level that exceeds what your lease permits, which inflates variable expenses artificially.

Rule 12

Common Area Misclassification

CAMAudit flags capital expenditures, structural repairs, and landlord-only expenses that have been reclassified into recurring CAM operating costs to inflate the pool.

What to Do Next

1Pull last year and this year reconciliation statements side by side and identify which line items increased the most.
2Locate your lease CAM cap clause (usually labeled "Controllable Expense Cap" or "CAM Cap") and note the percentage limit.
3Upload both reconciliation statements and your lease abstract to CAMAudit to run the 13 detection rules.
4Review the findings report to see which specific rules triggered and by how much.
5Use the dispute letter draft feature to generate a formal written objection if the audit surfaces overcharges.
6Submit the dispute letter to your landlord within the audit rights window specified in your lease.

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Next Best Step

Choose your next move

Scenario pages should bridge from diagnosis into the dispute path and audit proof.

What is a CAM audit?

Use the audit process if you still need to validate the billing error.

See the CAM dispute guide

Use the dispute playbook if the issue is already active.

Start Free Audit

Run the free audit once you are ready to quantify the overcharge.

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Relevant Tenant Types

Retail Store Restaurant Medical Office

Related Scenarios

My landlord is charging me for roof replacement in CAM My management fee exceeds the cap in my lease My pro-rata share calculation doesn't match my lease terms An anchor tenant left and my CAM charges spiked My landlord won't provide CAM backup documentation

Related Resources

ResourcesCAM Overcharge Detection Guides ToolsFree CAM Audit Tools ResourcesLease Types and CAM Structures GlossaryCAM Glossary

Frequently asked questions

This page provides general educational information. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the most current law in your state. Consult a licensed attorney for advice specific to your situation.