Billing discrepancy · Comp rooms
Were your complimentary room credits applied correctly?
Comp room clauses read like simple ratios, but the result depends on whether they're counted cumulatively or per night, whether rounding is up or down, and which rate the credit is valued at.
The short answer
A complimentary room clause such as "1 per 40" earns one free room night for every 40 paid room nights actually used. To check it, take actualized room nights from the pickup report, divide by the ratio, apply the contract's rounding rule, and value the result at the rate the contract specifies. Then find the credit on the master account.
The most common differences are counting per night instead of cumulatively, using contracted rather than actualized nights, and crediting at a lower rate than agreed.
What to check
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The ratio wording
"1 per 40 cumulative" and "1 per 40 per night" produce different counts. Check which your contract uses.
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Paid vs total room nights
Some clauses count only paid nights, excluding the comps themselves.
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Rounding
Most contracts round down. A few say partial credits accrue. 1,230 ÷ 40 is 30.75: 30 comps, unless the contract says otherwise.
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Credit value
Usually the group rate for the room type used. Some cap it at the run-of-house rate.
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Where the credit appears
On the master account as a credit, or as zero-rated rooms on specific folios. Either should reconcile to the entitlement.
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Maximum comps
Some agreements cap comps per night or per event.
How FolioMatch checks it
FolioMatch reads the ratio, measurement basis, rounding and valuation from the agreement, takes actualized nights from the supplied pickup report or rooming list, and computes the entitlement in code. It then totals credits and zero-rated nights on the bill and compares.
If the contract's wording is ambiguous about cumulative versus nightly counting, the finding is marked needs review and both calculations are shown.
- 01
Hotel or event agreement
The signed contract and its schedules set the base terms: rates, percentages, minimums, formulas and concessions.
- 02
Amendments and signed changes
A signed addendum or change order replaces the contract term it amends, and only that term.
- 03
BEOs and revised BEOs
Banquet event orders set the operational detail: counts, times, staffing and menus. The latest approved revision is used, and earlier revisions are kept for comparison.
- 04
Supporting documents
Rooming lists, pickup reports, AV orders, staffing sheets and invoice exports, where you supply them.
- 05
Final invoice or master bill
Each billed line is compared with the terms above. Where the documents don't explain a charge, it becomes a finding with the pages behind it.
Findings are labelled as a possible discrepancy, needs review, matches the agreement or insufficient evidence. FolioMatch doesn't make legal determinations; it shows what the supplied documents do and don't support.
Sample finding: comps counted at the wrong ratio
Illustrative example — sample data
Agreement
- 1 comp per 40 room nights
- Cumulative, rounded down
- Valued at group rate $249
Pickup report
- Actualized 1,230 room nights
- 5 nights, 3 room types
Final bill
- Comp credit 25 nights
- −$6,225.00
FolioMatch finding
Possible $1,245 missing credit
1,230 ÷ 40 = 30.75, which rounds down to 30 complimentary room nights, or $7,470 at the group rate.
The invoice credits 25 nights. That count corresponds to roughly 1 per 50, which does not appear in the supplied agreement. Review recommended.
- 1,230 ÷ 40, rounded down
- 30 comp nights
- Expected credit (30 × $249)
- $7,470.00
- Credit on bill (25 × $249)
- $6,225.00
- Difference
- $1,245.00
Evidence
- Agreement · Complimentary Rooms · page 5
- Pickup Report · Actualized Summary · page 2
- Final Invoice · Master Credits · page 10
Same pickup, different clauses
Illustrative example — sample data. 1,230 actualized room nights over five nights: 180, 300, 320, 290, 140.
| Clause wording | Comps earned |
|---|---|
| 1 per 40, cumulative, round down | 30 |
| 1 per 40, per night, round down | 4 + 7 + 8 + 7 + 3 = 29 |
| 1 per 50, cumulative, round down | 24 |
Which row applies depends entirely on the agreement's wording.
Questions
What does "1 per 40" mean on a hotel contract?
One complimentary room night for every 40 room nights. Whether those 40 are paid, actualized, cumulative or per night is set by the rest of the clause.
Do comps count if pickup triggered attrition?
Usually yes, based on actualized nights, but check the clause. See attrition charges.
Can I use comps against staff rooms instead?
Many contracts allow it. FolioMatch checks the total credit value; how it's allocated between folios is up to your billing instructions.
Related
Missing concessions
A concessions ledger: what was negotiated, and whether it reached the bill.
Attrition charges
Room-night commitment, allowed attrition, pickup and the formula used.
Room-rate discrepancies
Contracted vs charged rate by room type, date and shoulder night.
Back to all hotel billing discrepancies or the hotel master bill audit guide.
You negotiated the deal. Make sure you got it.
Upload the agreement, BEOs and final bill. FolioMatch checks what you negotiated against what you were charged and shows the evidence behind every finding.