You get an elevator invoice for $4,200. Door operator adjustment, parts, labor, callback fee. You approve it because you don't have time to investigate. Here's the problem: 40% of elevator invoices contain charges for work that should be covered under your contract. That's recoverable money. Here's how to audit your invoices in 10 minutes.
Why Invoice Errors Happen
Most elevator invoice errors aren't intentional fraud. They happen because of systemic gaps in how billing works:
Coverage confusion. Property managers often don't know what's included in their full maintenance vs. examination contract. Vendors bill for "parts" that are actually covered components. Labor charges appear for work that's within the maintenance scope.
Billing system defaults. Some vendors bill for everything by default and expect you to dispute charges. Smaller vendors especially may lack contract-aware billing systems. You'll see "time and materials" invoices for work that should be covered under your full maintenance agreement.
Terminology mismatch. The difference between "repair," "replacement," and "adjustment" matters for billing. "Covered component" can be defined differently across contracts. Major component exclusions can bury expensive items you didn't realize were excluded.
Lack of verification. Most PMs don't compare invoices to contract terms. There's no visibility into what the tech actually did. Service tickets often don't match invoice line items.
Common Overcharge Categories
Here are the charges that most frequently slip through:
Door adjustments billed as service calls. If you have a full maintenance contract with door operator coverage, door adjustments should be included. But they often appear as separate "service call" charges.
Controller work billed as major component. Controller board replacements get billed as "major components" even when your FM contract doesn't explicitly exclude the controller. Unless your contract lists controller exclusions, it should be covered.
Callbacks billed separately. Full maintenance contracts typically cover callback responses. But you'll see "emergency service" or "after-hours callback" charges that should be included in your monthly fee.
Parts billed under FM contracts. Full maintenance includes parts for covered systems. But invoices will show "material cost" line items for parts that should be covered.
Diagnostic time billed separately. "Diagnostic time" should be part of the callback response, not a separate labor charge. But it often appears as an extra line item.
The 4-Step Invoice Audit
Here's how to audit any elevator invoice in under 10 minutes:
Step 1: Pull your contract. Know what coverage type you have (full maintenance, examination, limited). Check for component exclusions like machine, controller, or power unit. Identify what's explicitly included in your agreement. If you need help understanding your contract, use our elevator contract review guide.
Step 2: Match line items to contract terms. Every charge should map to a specific exclusion or extra. "Parts" should only be billed if parts are excluded from your agreement. "Labor" should only be billed for out-of-scope work. If a charge doesn't map to an explicit exclusion, it's likely an overcharge.
Step 3: Request the service ticket. What did the tech actually do? Does the work described match the invoice? How long did it take versus how many hours were billed? Service tickets give you the ground truth to compare against invoice claims.
Step 4: Challenge discrepancies in writing. Don't call. Email. "Can you show me where this is excluded from my contract?" or "This appears to be covered under our FM agreement." Document everything. The email trail protects you if the dispute escalates.
What to Say When Disputing
Keep your challenges simple and factual:
"Can you show me where this is excluded from my contract?" Forces the vendor to cite specific contract language. If they can't, the charge is invalid.
"This appears to be covered under our FM agreement." States your position without accusing anyone of fraud. Gives the vendor room to correct the error.
"I need the service ticket that corresponds to this invoice." Verifies that the work described actually matches what was billed.
Always document in writing. Phone calls disappear. Email trails create accountability. If the vendor can't justify a charge in writing, you shouldn't pay it.
Don't Audit Blind
The fastest way to audit an invoice is to know exactly what your contract covers. Upload your contract to our Contract Scanner. We'll show you what's covered, what's excluded, and what should be included in your monthly fee.
Then compare your next invoice to your coverage summary. If a charge appears for covered work, you'll catch it immediately. Know what you're paying for before you pay for it.
For a deeper look at common billing errors, check our billing errors guide. Most overcharges follow the same patterns once you know what to look for.