A CAM dispute asks whether the shared property costs your landlord bills under a commercial lease are correct and allowed. The answer starts with the lease. Its wording, exhibits and deadlines decide most of what happens next.
Ayala Law PA focuses on business and commercial disputes, including contract and real estate litigation, in Florida courts and arbitration. Eduardo A. Maura is the responsible lawyer for this page. The firm’s only office is at 1646 W Snow Ave, Tampa, FL. It serves businesses in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Brandon, Riverview, Plant City, Temple Terrace and the wider Tampa Bay area.
What CAM Charges Are and Who Disputes Them
CAM stands for common area maintenance. It is a tenant’s share of the cost of running shared parts of a property, such as parking areas, lobbies, lighting and landscaping.
How the charge reaches you depends on the lease type. In a gross lease, base rent usually covers operating costs. In a modified gross lease, some costs pass through above a base year. In many triple net leases, tenants pay a share of most operating costs on top of base rent.
Landlords usually bill CAM monthly based on an estimate. They then reconcile it once a year against actual costs. That year-end statement is where many disputes start.
Tenants who receive unexplained bills or reconciliations are the people most likely to dispute CAM. Landlords and property managers also face these challenges when a tenant asks for records and questions the math.
Not sure what your next step is?
Talk it through with our team — we can walk you through how a situation like yours is usually handled and what your options are.
Common CAM Dispute Issues
Most CAM disputes come down to a few problems: the math, what the lease allows, and the records behind the charge.
- Reconciliation errors: arithmetic mistakes, duplicate billing, or charges that don’t match the year’s actual costs.
- Excluded costs: items the lease does not allow to be passed through, such as certain leasing costs or capital improvements.
- Management fees: charges above the percentage or base the lease sets.
- Pro rata share: whether the tenant’s square footage and the building total were calculated the way the lease says, including vacant space.
- Audit rights: requests for backup records made within the lease’s stated window.
- Notice: whether estimates or late bills were handled as the lease requires.
Read each item against the lease language. That shows which issues your facts support.
How a CAM Dispute Typically Proceeds
A CAM dispute usually moves in order: document review, a written objection, negotiation, and then mediation, arbitration or court if needed.
- Review the file. Read the lease, amendments, exhibits and every CAM statement together.
- Object in writing. Name each disputed amount and the lease clause you rely on. Don’t assume a short clause controls. Under Florida law, a contract provision that sets a shorter time to sue than the statute of limitations is void (§ 95.03).
- Test the records. Review the landlord’s backup and negotiate a corrected reconciliation or credit.
- Check the dispute clause. Florida law makes a written arbitration agreement valid and enforceable, except on grounds that exist for revoking any contract (§ 682.02). Check the dispute clause. If a damages case is filed, the court must refer it to mediation on one party’s request if that party is willing and able to pay the mediation costs or the costs can be equitably divided between the parties, unless an exception applies (§ 44.102).
- Choose the court. Venue generally lies in the county where the defendant resides, where the cause of action accrued, or where the property in litigation is located, but this rule does not apply to actions against nonresidents (§ 47.011). For a Hillsborough County property, that often points to Hillsborough County.
Timing depends on the facts, the lease terms and how the other side responds.
Documents to Gather Before You Contact Us
Gather these records before you reach out. They set the deadlines and the math.
- The complete lease, with amendments, side letters and the operating expense exhibit.
- Every CAM estimate, statement and reconciliation, with dates and amounts paid.
- Payment records, including any payment made under protest or with a written reservation.
- Emails, letters and notices with the landlord or property manager about CAM or audits.
- Any audit request you sent, and the landlord’s response or silence.
- A timeline showing when each bill arrived and when each objection or audit window closes.
Organized records make the first review faster and more useful.
Why Businesses Work With Ayala Law PA on Lease Disputes
Ayala Law PA focuses on business and commercial disputes, including commercial litigation, contract disputes and real estate litigation.
A CAM dispute is a contract dispute at its core. The lease sets the costs and the records. That keeps the lease at the center of the case.
Negotiation matters too. Florida law makes offers to compromise a disputed claim inadmissible to prove liability or the claim’s value (§ 90.408). That gives both sides room to discuss a corrected reconciliation.
The firm organizes the record first. Then it identifies the deadlines and lease clauses, and pursues the path that fits the lease and your business goals. Support staff handle scheduling and document organization.
Fees and Costs
Fee arrangements are discussed directly with Ayala Law PA before any work begins. Costs, such as filing and service fees, are part of that discussion so you know what to expect.
Not sure what your next step is?
Talk it through with our team — we can walk you through how a situation like yours is usually handled and what your options are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tenant dispute CAM charges after paying them?
Possibly. The lease’s objection, audit and payment terms decide whether and how a paid charge can be challenged.
How long do I have to object to a CAM statement?
The lease sets the objection and audit window, so read that clause first. A lease term that shortens the time to sue on the contract is void under Florida law (§ 95.03).
Does my landlord have to show receipts?
Under the lease’s audit terms, you can request supporting records. Those records are how the charges get tested.
Can CAM charges be challenged under a triple net lease?
Yes, if a charge falls outside what the lease allows to pass through. A triple net lease still has limits, and the lease language decides which costs count.
Do we have to go to court?
Many disputes end in negotiation. Your lease may require arbitration or mediation first, and Florida law generally enforces written arbitration agreements (§ 682.02).
Talk With Ayala Law PA About Your CAM Dispute
If a CAM statement doesn’t add up, or a lease deadline is approaching, your next step is a conversation about the lease. Call Ayala Law PA at (305) 570-2208 or send your details through the contact page. Bring your lease and CAM statements so the discussion starts with the facts.
