CAM Charges Review: Understand What You Are Actually Paying

Leases that allow controllable CAM expenses to grow without limit year over year. In active markets, uncapped CAM has grown 15–20% annually — turning a manageable rent into an unaffordable one by year 3 of a 5-year lease.

Language such as "costs to maintain, repair, or replace building systems" that allows the landlord to amortize a new $200,000 roof or parking lot repaving into your annual CAM — converting capital improvements into recurring operating expenses.

Leases that contain no provision allowing tenants to request and review CAM expense documentation. Without audit rights, you cannot verify that charges are legitimate, accurate, or properly allocated.

Gross-up provisions that calculate your expense share as if the building is 100% occupied, even when the actual occupancy rate is lower — meaning you effectively subsidize vacant tenants' share of expenses.

Management fees with no percentage cap, or caps above 15%, allowing the landlord to charge disproportionate administration costs that inflate total CAM. Some leases allow management fee increases independent of actual CAM growth.

Leases permitting landlords to issue CAM reconciliations 6–18 months after year-end, creating large retroactive bills that are difficult to budget for and challenge after the fact.