Commercial utility billing error benchmarks
Anonymized results from Trace Global audits, January 2025 to September 2026. Published under CC BY 4.0.
- of multi-site utility spend we find overbilled on a first audit
- 3% to 7%of multi-site utility spend we find overbilled on a first audit
- commercial utility accounts carries at least one recoverable error
- 1 in 9commercial utility accounts carries at least one recoverable error
- meters audited across 410 utilities
- 186,000+meters audited across 410 utilities
- of filed claims accepted by the utility in full or in part
- 94%of filed claims accepted by the utility in full or in part
- Wrong rate schedule24%
- Demand and ratchet errors17%
- Sales tax on exempt usage14%
- Closed and vacant site billing11%
- Meter multiplier errors9%
- Duplicate bills8%
- Power factor penalties6%
- Sewer on evaporated water5%
- Late fees and deposits4%
- Other2%
| Industry | Overbilled | Refund window |
|---|---|---|
| Retail chains | 3.4% | 24 mo |
| Grocery & supermarkets | 4.1% | 24 mo |
| Cold storage & logistics | 5.2% | 24 mo |
| Multifamily & REITs | 3.1% | 18 mo |
| Manufacturing | 4.6% | 36 mo |
| Restaurants & QSR | 3.3% | 24 mo |
Overbilled is the share of a year's utility spend found recoverable on the first audit. Refund window is the median back period accepted by utilities in that segment.
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- from bill access to first findings report
- 21 daysfrom bill access to first findings report
- of filed claims accepted by the utility in full or in part
- 94%of filed claims accepted by the utility in full or in part