The cost of cleaning exterior and common area interior windows of a commercial building. Window cleaning for common areas (lobby glass, entrance doors, atrium windows) is typically included in CAM, while interior cleaning of tenant-specific windows may be the tenant's responsibility.
Common area window cleaning covers all glass surfaces in shared spaces: lobby entrances, elevator cab glass, stairwell windows, atrium skylights, and the building exterior. For multi-story buildings, exterior window cleaning requires specialized equipment (swing stages, bosun chairs) and carries higher costs. Lease language should distinguish between common area glass (CAM-eligible) and storefront or tenant-suite windows (tenant-responsible).
A landlord included the full cost of exterior window cleaning for a 12-story building in CAM, even though only the first two floors were occupied by tenants paying CAM. The upper floors were landlord-occupied or vacant, but the cleaning cost for all 12 floors was passed through to the ground-floor retail tenants.
Verify that window cleaning charges in CAM correspond to common areas and occupied tenant floors. If your building has significant vacancy, the landlord should either gross up the expense to reflect full occupancy or exclude cleaning costs for vacant floors from the CAM pool.
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Find My OverchargesThis page provides general educational information. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the most current law in your state. Consult a licensed attorney for advice specific to your situation.
