Operating costs in blind flight

90% error rate: The invisible risk behind the figures

‍

An investigation by the audit firm Mineko From 2024 reveals frightening things: Nine out of ten audited operating cost statements in hotels, boarding houses and serviced apartments were incorrect. The average error amount? Around 45,989 euros — per bill.

‍

Converted to the month, this is 0.56 euros per square meter. In a hotel with an area of 5,000 m², this amounts to almost 3,000 euros too much per month — a five-digit amount per year.

‍

This number is not an outlier, but the rule. A case from Stuttgart shows the potential behind an audit: After precise verification, a required back payment of 26,868 euros was reduced to just 3,500 euros. A difference of over 23,000 euros — caused, among other things, by incorrect allocations, calculation errors and incorrect distribution codes.

‍

Typical sources of error — and how they could be avoided

‍

According to Mineko, the main causes fall into three categories:

‍

• Expenses not eligible for allocation (84%) — e.g. maintenance, legal advice or administrative costs that are falsely recalculated
  
  
• Incorrect or outdated distribution keys (48%) — for example, if land shares or vacancy rates are not correctly taken into account
  
  
• Formal error (27%) — such as incorrect billing periods or deadline violations
  
  

These deficiencies not only result in excessive payments, but also entail legal risks.

‍

Why many mistakes go undetected — and give operators money away

‍

What is remarkable is that the initiative for the audit almost always only comes with remarkably high demands — usually from management or controlling. Credits, on the other hand, are rarely checked. This means that many hoteliers pay too much — without even realizing it.

‍

According to experts, the reasons for this are:

• Lack of expertise in contract law
  
  
• Shortage of time in everyday operational life
  
  
• Non-transparent data (e.g. due to many manual processes)
  
  
• Missing comparative values (MieterEngel)
  
  

The latter in particular is a key problem: Without a benchmark or a clear overview, distribution codes or individual items can hardly be evaluated.

‍

From obligation to opportunity: operating costs as a strategic management tool

‍

“Operating cost statements are much more than administrative tasks,” is the conclusion of the Mineko study. Anyone who uses billing strategically can not only avoid errors, but also identify potential savings — for example in the areas of energy, ancillary personnel costs or cleaning.

‍

A structured, regular reconciliation of billing and actual operation is essential — especially in times of high energy prices and fluctuating utilization.

‍

Digital control instead of paper chaos — how modern tools can help

‍

Especially in complex hotel structures (with several companies, tenancies, energy sources or service providers), manual testing is becoming a Herculean task. Modern financial platforms such as profitize automatically integrate data from PMS, POS, energy suppliers and accounting systems.

‍

Instead of fighting their way through paper folders, operators get a AI-powered overview, which detects faulty or unusual cost developments at an early stage — such as sudden jumps in energy consumption or incomprehensible cost distributions among companies.

‍

This turns static billing into a dynamic analysis tool — without the need for additional personnel resources.

‍

No secondary construction site — operating costs deserve attention

‍

In the hotel industry, a few percentage points often determine profit or loss. Operating costs often appear invisible, but with enormous leverage. The high error rate shows that a consistent, data-based audit is not a “nice-to-have”, but an economic necessity.

‍

Because: If you don't check, you pay. If you understand, you save.

‍