CPI Rent Escalation Calculator

Your lease should specify the exact index, typically the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the U.S. City Average, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Using a regional index or a different measurement period can produce materially different results.

A CPI cap limits how much rent can increase in any given year based on CPI, regardless of actual inflation. For example, a 3% cap means your rent cannot increase more than 3% annually, even if CPI rose 8%. Verify your lease for any cap language before accepting a landlord's escalation calculation.

If your lease requires CPI adjustments but lacks a floor, your rent could technically decrease in a deflationary year. Most commercial leases include floor language preventing rent from going below the prior year's amount. Check your lease for floor provisions.

Using the wrong index is a verifiable billing error. Once you identify the discrepancy, you will need your lease, the landlord's rent escalation notice, and the BLS historical index data to document the overcharge amount and dispute period. CAMAudit's forensic audit analyzes your actual lease documents, calculates the correct escalation, and generates a dispute letter draft with the specific dollar amount owed to you.