What can you see?
Find the records-access clause: categories, ledgers, invoices, tax bills, policies, and area schedules.
Your lease sets the process
Know what to request. Know when to act.
NNN audit and records-access provisions can help you examine taxes, insurance, and CAM charges. The signed lease tells you which records you may review, how to give notice, and which dates matter.
A practical review path
01 / Read the clause
Find scope, timing, and notice requirements.
02 / Gather the statement
Mark the categories and calculations to explain.
03 / Request detail
Follow the lease procedure and retain proof.
The right to inspect records and any result of that review depend on the agreement and facts.
Start with the contract
Four terms to find in your lease.
There is no universal notice period or records list. Read the signed lease and amendments before relying on a generic timeline.
When must you act?
Identify the event that starts the clock and any separate dates for requesting records, objecting, or completing a review.
How must you notify?
Check the required recipient, delivery method, content, and address for written notices.
What happens next?
Read the provisions for corrections, credits, audit costs, dispute resolution, and continued payment.
The date that matters
Build a timeline from your own documents.
Record when the annual statement was delivered or received, then apply the exact trigger and notice period in your lease. The date used for an audit election may differ from the time allowed to inspect records or submit an objection.
If a deadline or its consequences are unclear, seek advice from a qualified professional before it passes.
Make a date record
Statement date
What date appears on the reconciliation?
Receipt date
When and how did it reach you?
Notice requirement
What must be sent, to whom, and how?
Next deadline
What date follows from the signed clause?
Questions to support with records
What should you investigate?
A question is a starting point, not proof of an overcharge. Pair each item with the lease clause, statement calculation, and underlying detail.
Expense pool
Does the charge fit the lease definition of taxes, insurance, or CAM? Is it excluded, capped, or treated differently?
Allocation
Do the premises area, denominator, cost pool, and any occupancy adjustment match the agreement and records?
Fees and capital work
How are administrative fees, management costs, replacements, and amortization addressed?
Credits and arithmetic
Were estimated payments, prior credits, and the tenant's share applied correctly?
Keep your review organized
Document the question and the response.
Keep the statement, lease, written requests, delivery proof, replies, and any calculations together. This makes a follow-up conversation more precise.
Continue the review
Related guides.
NNN reconciliation
Trace estimated payments, allocated actual costs, and the final balance.
Read the guide ↗Common questions
Before drawing a conclusion.
Does every NNN lease give a tenant audit rights?
Do not assume so. Read the signed lease and amendments for records-access and review provisions, including any limits on their scope.
Is there a standard audit deadline?
No single period applies to every lease. The trigger, notice period, and audit procedure can differ, so check the exact agreement and the date the statement was received.
Does questioning a charge mean it is an overcharge?
No. A question calls for the lease clause, calculation, and supporting records. A recoverable amount cannot be established from a statement line alone.
What should I keep after sending a request?
Keep the statement, signed lease, the request and delivery proof, responses, and the records used for your calculation.
For background on negotiating operating expense review provisions, see the American Bar Association's overview. Your signed lease controls the process described on this page.
Your next step
Find the review terms in your lease.
Start with a free lease preview. Add an annual statement if you have one, then review the initial questions before deciding whether a full report is useful.