Lease Audit | CAM Audit & Cost Recovery Experts

About Us

Unsurpassed service and proven results have placed OAG at the top of the lease audit, cost recovery and strategic services provider lists for many of the nation’s most prominent Fortune 1000 companies since 1990.

The Occupancy Cost Audit Group (OAG) is North America’s largest and oldest real estate lease recovery audit firm. OAG provides a specialized audit recovery service to uncover hidden occupancy cost overcharges. OAG has pioneered the recovery audit business through innovations and creativity in the audit industry. Using proven auditing techniques and proprietary audit methodologies, we examine invoices, related leases, amendments, CC&R’s, REA’s and other real estate documents, searching for overbillings and overpayments. OAG is the expert in identifying, validating and recovering lost profits quickly and efficiently, and assist businesses in improving their financial performance with insightful information, actionable recommendations and bottom-line results.

20+ years

Best Practices

OAG is headquartered in Southern California and has Senior Associates nationwide.

Using proven auditing techniques and proprietary audit methodologies, we examine invoices, related Leases, Amendments, CC&R’s, REA’s and other critical real estate documents, searching for overbillings, overpayments any many other factors that would result in an errant transaction. We are the expert in identifying, validating and recovering lost profits quickly and efficiently, which result in improved financial performance and insightful information with actionable recommendations for sustained performance.

Our team of real estate professionals is comprised of industry experts with extensive experience and impressive backgrounds in accounting, retailing, property management and real estate. Our professional auditors are educated, experienced and talented. Their intuitive approach to auditing is unmatched in the marketplace. We employ a proven methodology that is continually refined and improved by sharing “best practices” developed over the past 30+ years. Our focus has always been to develop and maintain a long-term relationship with our clients. We understand the importance of not disrupting your daily operations so we streamline each phase of our audit process to be as unobtrusive as possible. Our highly experienced team is focused and dedicated to serve your specific audit needs.

Given our singular focus on Occupancy Cost recovery for over 30 years we have had extensive experience working with most of the nation’s largest and most recognizable big box retailers and commercial tenants.

Our unique national coverage and depth of our organization has created a model that is specifically suited to serve this class of trade. We do not pretend to represent an offering that is everything for everyone. Not always the case in this industry.

All our work is performed internally by OAG Associates. Due to bandwidth limitations with very large multi–location clients it is not uncommon for providers to subcontract portions of the audit to unrelated third party sources to complete the work which can result in inconsistent output. That has never been the case for OAG. Our related experience working with all configurations uniquely qualifies us along with our web-based database technology to provide efficiencies that other firms without this valuable experience and available internal resources cannot.

Our Services

Consulting

Share best practices with its clients and is available to answer questions or concerns at no additional cost.

Landlord Statement Audit

Review all the open balances across all Landlords and properties.

Occupancy Cost Audit

A comprehensive review of all the billings from and payments to your Landlords or partners.

Invoice Payment Processing

Assist in processing the incoming CAM Reconciliations or Operating Expense Reconciliations from your Landlords or Property Managers.

Special Projects

Review contract compliance, rent reductions, lease terminations, assign-ments, subletting or property dispositions.

Why Choose Us

OAG is dedicated to building a successful partnership and exceeding your expectations.

Our related experience working with all configurations uniquely qualifies us along with our web-based database technology to provide efficiencies that other firms without this valuable experience and available internal resources cannot.

Our clientele can expect complete confidentiality of files, leases, and other agreements with minimal disruption of daily operations.

We have the utmost respect for your Landlord relationships and give our clients complete control of the audit process while offering fair and reasonable fees.

Our History

The Beginning of Recovery Auditing

The recovery audit business began in the early 1970s when Howard Schultz discovered that many retailers were losing money by not taking advantage of allowances, price concessions, rebates, and other incentives provided by vendors. He began manually auditing paper invoices to uncover overcharges, inconsistencies, and lost revenues.

Growth and Industry Formation

Soon, many financial executives and former accounts payable managers joined him, and an innovative industry was born. This marked the beginning of recovery auditing as a formalized business practice focused on helping organizations recover lost funds and improve financial accuracy.

The Impact of Technology

The advent of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) in the 1980s sparked an evolution in the industry. As companies began ordering from suppliers via computers, auditors started using specialized software programs to analyze invoices and procurement data for errors, overpayments, and under-deductions, greatly increasing audit efficiency and accuracy.

Expansion into Real Estate Audits

In 1990, Howard Schultz identified the growing demand for real estate cost recovery audits. He invited Jim Callos and Alan Jacobson to initiate this practice on a contingency basis. This innovation expanded the scope of recovery auditing beyond accounts payable to include real estate and construction costs.

Industry Evolution & Consolidation

By 2001, the industry was transforming again due to globalization, corporate consolidation, and rapidly evolving technologies. In response, Howard Schultz and John Cook of PRG combined their organizations to form PRG-Schultz, creating a global leader with enhanced capabilities, technology, and expertise to drive continued innovation in the field.

OAG’s Leadership and Focus

OAG aligned itself with the leading names in accounts payable audits and became the national leader in real estate cost recovery auditing, serving many Fortune 100 companies. Eventually, OAG recognized the value of specialization and chose to focus exclusively on auditing occupancy costs. Unlike general firms, OAG does not dabble in other areas but partners strategically with others for non-real-estate cost audits—remaining the trusted expert for occupancy cost audits.

We are ready to help...

We will identify, validate and recover your lost profits quickly and efficiently. Review our full line of services and contact us to get started.