Commercial Inquilino Disputes — What California Propietarios Need to Know

Commercial inquilinos frequently dispute CAM (common area maintenance) charges, allege propietario failure to make reparaciones, or reclamación breach of quiet enjoyment. Unlike residential disputes governed by inquilino protection statutes, commercial contrato de arrendamiento disputes are resolved primarily through contract interpretation. The contrato de arrendamiento document governs who es responsable de reparaciones, how CAM charges are calculated, and what remedies are available. California commercial propietarios must respond strategically—acknowledging legitimate issues while defending against meritless claims—to avoid costly litigio and preserve the propietario-inquilino relationship.

Common Commercial Inquilino Claims Against Propietarios

• CAM overcharge disputes — Inquilino claims inflated operating expenses, improper capital expense pass-throughs, incorrect allocation percentages, or charges excluded by the contrato de arrendamiento
• Failure to reparación claims — Inquilino alleges propietario failed to maintain common areas, HVAC systems, roofing, or structural components (responsabilidad depends on contrato de arrendamiento allocation)
• Construction interference — Inquilino claims propietario's renovation or construction activities disrupted their business operations
• Breach of quiet enjoyment — Inquilino alleges propietario's actions substantially interfered with their ability to use the premises for business purposes
• Discriminatory contrato de arrendamiento enforcement — Inquilino claims propietario selectively enforces contrato de arrendamiento terms against them while allowing other inquilinos to violate the same provisions

Responding to Commercial Inquilino Demandas

When a commercial inquilino sends a carta de demanda or files a formal demanda, propietarios should evaluate the reclamación's merit before responding. Review the contrato de arrendamiento provisions that govern the disputed issue, gather all documentation (invoices, correspondence, photos, prior notices), and determine whether the reclamación is valid, partially valid, or meritless. For legitimate issues, acknowledge and resolve them promptly to preserve the relationship and avoid litigio. For mixed claims, address valid points while refuting unfounded allegations with specific contrato de arrendamiento citations. For completely meritless claims, provide a detailed defense citing contrato de arrendamiento terms and industry standards, and state you will vigorously defend any litigio.

CAM Disputes — Propietario Defense Strategies

• Comply with audit rights — Most commercial leases grant inquilinos the right to audit CAM records; provide requested documentation promptly to avoid mala fe claims
• Correct legitimate errors — If the audit reveals calculation mistakes or improper charges, issue a corrected reconciliation and credit immediately
• Defend proper charges — For disputed charges that are contrato de arrendamiento-compliant, provide detailed explanations citing the contrato de arrendamiento's definition of "Operating Expenses" and industry standards
• Capital expense allocation — Ensure capital improvements are properly amortized over useful life per GAAP and the contrato de arrendamiento terms, not passed through as operating expenses
• Negotiate acuerdos — If inquilino has valid points on some issues, offer partial credit to resolve the dispute without litigio

Defending Against Breach Claims in Tribunal

If a commercial inquilino sues for breach of contrato de arrendamiento, CAM refunds, or daños, propietarios have several defenses available. The most common defense is that the disputed obligation was the inquilino's responsibility under the contrato de arrendamiento—particularly in NNN (triple net) leases where inquilinos handle most reparaciones and maintenance. Propietarios can also argue the inquilino failed to provide proper notice of the issue, denying the propietario an opportunity to cure. If the inquilino claims lost revenue, challenge their damage calculations by demanding financial documentation through discovery. Consider filing counterclaims for unpaid rent, CAM charges, or inquilino breaches. If the contrato de arrendamiento includes an abogado fees clause, the prevailing party recovers legal costs, which often motivates acuerdo.