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Isn’t the franchise agreement standard? Why obtain legal advice.

Sarah Stowe

No. There is no such thing as a standard franchise agreement. Each franchise system has its own current standard franchise agreement but franchise agreements vary dramatically from business to business. It is important to obtain legal advice to ensure that you understand your obligations under the agreement and the limitations that come from operating in a franchise environment. In some cases it is appropriate to request amendments or clarifications to the franchise agreement. By way of example, some franchise agreements allow the the franchisor to terminate on 30 days notice. If you are required to undertake substantial upfront expenditure (such as a store fitout) you would be concerned about that provision.