You think you’re paying too much rent

The problem

The rent on paper is rarely the whole cost. Additional rent, management fees, escalations and load factor can add a lot. A common surprise is paying for “rentable” area that includes a share of hallways and lobbies, space you can’t actually use.

Overcharges in operating costs can sit unnoticed for years.

What I do about it

I break your cost down: base rent, additional rent, load factor, escalations. Then I check it against similar spaces and your lease’s own rules for what can be charged. If something is off, you can see what, by how much, and what to ask for.

What your landlord wants

Landlords want to recover their real costs and keep the building’s rent level up. Most aren’t trying to overcharge, but they won’t volunteer a refund either. They respond to a clear, polite request backed by the lease and the numbers.

Where everybody wins

Fix what’s wrong, and agree on what’s fair for the rest of the term. You stop overpaying, and the landlord keeps a happy tenant without a dispute.

Where the extra money usually goes

• Base rent above what comparable spaces nearby lease for.
• Load factor. You pay for rentable area, which includes a share of common areas. Two spaces with the same usable area can have very different bills. See load factor explained.
• Additional rent. Property taxes, insurance and operating costs (often called CAM). These are passed through to you on a net lease and can climb quietly year after year.
• Escalations that compound faster than the market.
• Admin fees on top of operating costs, and costs that arguably belong to the landlord, like major repairs or upgrades.

What we can do about it

1. Compare your rent and additional rent against similar spaces, on a like-for-like basis.
2. Review your annual additional rent statements and reconciliations. Many leases give tenants a right to ask for supporting details, and sometimes to audit.
3. Separate what’s fixable now (billing errors, questionable charges) from what waits for renewal (base rent), and plan for both.
4. If your renewal is within 18 months, start that conversation with real numbers.

I can’t give legal advice, and some of this is a lawyer’s job. What I bring is the market evidence and the negotiation, which is where most of the savings come from.

Questions people ask

How do I know if my commercial rent is fair?

Compare like with like: the same area, use and size, on the same basis (net or gross, rentable or usable area). Then look at additional rent per square foot against similar buildings. A tenant’s agent can pull comparable leases and listings for you.

Can I dispute my CAM or operating cost charges?

Often, yes. Many leases require the landlord to reconcile actual costs each year and give tenants some right to review them. What’s allowed depends on the wording of your lease, so start there and involve your lawyer for anything formal.