In the Belocal franchise agreement, how are references to masculine, neuter, or singular terms interpreted?

According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchise agreement includes a general rule of interpretation for references to gender and number. Specifically, any references to the masculine, neuter, or singular forms should be construed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, or plural forms, where applicable.

For a prospective Belocal franchisee, this means that the terms of the agreement will be interpreted flexibly to apply to different situations. For example, if a section of the agreement uses the term "he," it should be understood to also refer to "she" or "they" if the franchisee is a woman or a business entity. Similarly, if a term is used in the singular, it can also refer to the plural if the context requires.

This type of clause is common in franchise agreements to avoid ambiguity and ensure that the agreement can be applied fairly to all franchisees, regardless of their gender or business structure. It helps to streamline the document and avoid the need to repeat every clause in multiple forms to cover all possibilities.

However, franchisees should still carefully review the entire agreement and seek legal counsel to fully understand their rights and obligations. While this clause provides a general rule of interpretation, specific provisions of the agreement may have particular implications that should be considered in the context of the franchisee's individual circumstances.