Question for the group - what's your minimum monthly bill size for small commercial audits? I've been using $1,500/month as my floor but getting inquiries from smaller accounts. Had a hair salon call today with $900/month bills asking for help. Part of me thinks there could still be decent recoveries if they're on the wrong rate, but the time investment might not be worth it.
Member Community
Enter your email to read this discussion
You're reading the AAUBA Member Forum — where Certified Utility Bill Auditors share case studies, tariff strategies, and industry insights.
Free to read. Enter your email to continue.
No spam. We'll send you one welcome email about CUBA certification. Unsubscribe any time.
$1,500 minimum - where do you draw the line?
I stick to $1,200+ monthly minimum for standalone accounts. Below that the potential recovery rarely justifies the audit time unless it's part of a larger portfolio. Hair salons can be good though - lots of electrical equipment, often misclassified rate schedules.
That's my thinking too. This salon has been at same location for 12 years, never had bills reviewed. Sometimes the long-term small accounts have the biggest percentage recoveries even if absolute dollars are lower.
I've found $800-1000/month accounts can work if you batch them geographically. Did four small restaurants in the same strip mall last year - individually they wouldn't have been worth it but together made a nice project.