Sample Check report · fictional example
Example A: a report with findings
The tenants, building, tariffs and amounts are fictional and illustrative only.
1. Summary
Your electricity has been billed at a higher rate than your lease allows. Based on the documents reviewed, we verified a rate discrepancy of R25,488 over 24 months, calculated on the consumption shown on your statements. A further R7,200, a management fee on recoveries, was billed without a basis in your lease. Two items, up to R11,990 in total, need further records before they can be confirmed: the landlord's area schedule and the roof repair invoice. Rent, escalation, rates and insurance matched your lease.
3. Findings
| # | Charge | Status | What the lease allows | What was billed | Amount (R) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electricity | Verified rate discrepancy | Tariff R3.20 per kWh plus 5% = R3.36 | R3.95 per kWh on about 1,800 kWh a month | 25,488 |
| 2 | Management fee on recoveries | Unsupported charge | Clause 10.4 excludes management fees | 6% added to monthly recoveries, about R300 a month | 7,200 |
| 3 | Roof repair in the 2025 reconciliation | Potential discrepancy | Clause 10.4 excludes capital items; routine repairs may be recoverable | Your 4.8% share of R9,800 | 470 |
| 4 | Operating cost share | Potential discrepancy | 4.8% (120 m² of 2,500 m² per Schedule 1) | 5.6% applied | Up to 11,520 |
Every amount is traceable to the calculation schedule in Appendix 1 and to the documents listed in section 6. Tariff and consumption figures in this example are illustrative, not actual municipal tariffs.
4. What to do next
You deal with your landlord directly; these steps are our guidance.
Ask for the electricity billing basis: request the meter readings and the tariff applied for the last 24 months, and point to clause 9.2.
Ask for the area schedule: request the building's current lettable area schedule to confirm the 5.6% share used for operating costs.
Query the management fee and the roof repair: cite clause 10.4 and ask for the management fee to be reversed; ask for the roof repair invoice to confirm whether the work was a capital item, which the lease excludes, or routine maintenance.
Put it in writing: a suggested letter covering points 1 to 3 is in Appendix 2 for you to adapt and send.
Keep paying as invoiced: continue paying while the queries are resolved. Do not withhold or set off any amount without first taking legal advice; many leases prohibit deductions.
If we find no discrepancies in the charges reviewed, we say so.
A clean result still gives you a benchmark, an escalation check, a renewal timeline and assurance.