Although the renewal of the franchise agreement gives the impression that all the terms of the old contract are simply renewed, franchisors may require their franchisees to sign an agreement “then in force”. This often changes some very important terms of the contract, such as: If there is an extension or extension of a franchise agreement, the Code requires the franchisor to update the franchisee with the latest version of its disclosure document within four months of the end of the fiscal year, at least 14 days before renewal or renewal. Make sure you are aware of all fees due and due to the franchisor when you exercise your option or are in talks to extend the term of your deductible. Sections 6(6) and (7) of the Code state that obligations to act in good faith do not prevent a party from acting in its legitimate business interest. The franchisor is not necessarily acting against its duty in good faith by not agreeing to renew the deductible or grant an extension. Franchisees must keep a complete record of their signed documents, view key data, and ensure that they are resilient before the franchise agreement expires, exercise their option, or request an extension of time to protect their rights. The new franchise agreement may include new terms and conditions such as new sales targets or licensing requirements as a condition of the franchisee`s right to exercise their option. Failure to provide timely notice or failure to notify the franchisee that they may request a disclosure document may result in a civil penalty of 300 penalties for the franchisor. The rapid onset of COVID-19 has caused massive disruptions to businesses and led to a sharp increase in the use of home office arrangements. In the midst of such a crisis, it is easy to overlook the compliance obligations that apply to the renewal of franchise or end-of-term contracts. It is important to remember that obligations under the Franchise Code continue to apply and that compliance with the Code, including renewal requirements, remains a priority. If the agreement does not materialize, the franchisee does not have the right to renew the contract. You can always request an extension, but the franchisor is not obliged to accept it.

If you do not renew your franchise agreement and the franchise agreement expires, you may not be compensated for the goodwill you have accumulated in the franchise industry. You may need to sell your franchise business before the term of the franchise agreement expires (based on the franchisor is willing to grant a new franchise to the buyer) in order to be compensated for goodwill. As a general rule, a franchise agreement does not last forever. The duration of the agreement is often explicitly stated in the contract, usually between 10 and 20 years. Franchise buyers should seek advice on their rights and obligations before entering into a franchise and with any option, as the new franchise agreement may differ from the original. Third, franchisors can try to get the franchisee to agree to a “conditional extension.” Conditional renewals are situations where a franchisor is not willing to grant the franchisee a full renewal period and instead extend the franchisee, but only for a short period of time where the franchisee must essentially prove to the franchisor that they are a good franchisee by meeting certain criteria, such as . B minimum turnover. improved inspection results, etc. While a conditional renewal is preferable to a non-renewal, it is important that a franchisee is not prepared for failure. In fact, conditional renewal terms are often so expensive that no franchisee could succeed. In addition, conditional renewals often require the franchisee to sign a general authorization in favor of the franchisor. Therefore, before accepting a conditional renewal, a franchisee should at least determine whether they are entitled to an unconditional renewal (i.e., whether the franchisee has met all the necessary conditions for a full renewal) and, in addition, try to negotiate more favorable criteria for obtaining the unconditional renewal.

The extension does not exclude a conditional extension, so the new franchise agreement does not necessarily have to be identical to the existing contract. Below are some of the main issues that arise in relation to renewal in the vast majority of franchise agreements we see on a daily basis, as well as some tips on how to proactively address issues before signing your next franchise agreement. Although the specific wording of the renewal section of a franchise agreement differs between different franchise systems, there are a number of similarities in almost every agreement we see. Overall, the franchise agreement must have expired and the franchise agreement must not allow the franchisee to claim compensation for customers, or alternatively, if the franchise agreement allows the franchisee to claim compensation for goodwill, the compensation must be insufficient. If the franchise agreement contains a renewal right and you wish to exercise your renewal right, you must follow the procedure set out in the franchise agreement, including notifying the franchisor of your intention to renew the franchise agreement within the required time frame. A trade restriction clause is a clause contained in an agreement generally aimed at preventing someone from competing or using confidential information. Whether a trade restriction clause is appropriate or enforceable is usually taken into account: the renewal or renewal of a franchise agreement is an important right and has a strong impact on the franchisor and franchisee in different ways. Ultimately, proactively addressing renewal issues almost always leads to better results for franchisees than doing nothing. If you have a problem or question about renewal, please feel free to call one of Dady & Gardner`s lawyers or contact us via our website. The federal government provides in one of the proposed forms of the key fact sheet that a franchisee should review and consider what the requirements are for the renewal or renewal of the franchise agreement. For example, if the franchisee is asked to spend a lot of money to renovate the site in order to get another term. Renovation requirements – After a franchisee has spent a significant amount of money on building a franchise location, the last thing a franchisee wants to hear is that he or she must redesign or retool their franchise to meet the “then-current standards for new franchise locations” to be renewed, but provisions like these are found in almost all franchise agreements.

that we see. While it can be difficult to avoid remodeling requirements altogether, we still want appropriate limits to be set for these requirements. For example, a cap on the amount of money a franchisee must spend or, without specific restrictions, at least a commitment by the franchisor that the requirements will be “reasonable.” Businesses should remember that franchise renewal dates will continue to apply regardless of COVID-19. Some of the steps businesses should take to ensure they are in control of renewals and expansions in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak are listed below: Since 2015, disclosure documents are required to indicate whether a franchisee has the right to renew the franchise agreement. In particular, if the franchisee does not have the right to renew the franchise agreement, the following statement must be in font size 12 and bold. For a franchisee, renewing or extending their existing contract allows them to continue to operate the business, maintain their goodwill and, in a timely manner, give them the opportunity to sell their business and/or hopefully assign their rights for a reasonable return. The franchisor may have the right to refuse an extension or extension if the franchisee is in arrears with its obligations at that time, or the agreement may impose conditions on the franchisee for the renovation as a condition of renewal. Additional renewal rights – Although most (but not all) franchise agreements grant the franchisee the right to renew, the number of renewals to which a franchisee is entitled varies considerably from one franchise agreement to another. For example, some franchise agreements only grant the franchisee an extension period. After this extension period, the franchisor (unless otherwise protected by law) cannot be obliged to offer the franchisee other renewal rights. Therefore, we always want to ensure that our customers have the right to fulfill several renewal conditions (e.B. four renewal conditions) or, if possible, have the right to receive an unlimited number of consecutive renewal conditions of a certain duration.

The Code requires both parties to act in good faith, and this also applies to negotiations included in the agreement, conduct during the term, and negotiations on renewal and withdrawal agreements. Two things are obvious: a franchisee who is doing well will want to renew, and a franchisor will want productive franchisees to continue in the system. There are already a lot of things you need to think about when you start your franchise. However, it`s important to pay attention to the renewal of your franchise agreement when you first sign the contract – even if it`s 20 years away. Negotiating the terms of the renewal process can save you a lot of grief in the long run. .