For Clear Pest Pros franchisees in Washington, can the mediator determine the site of mediation?
Clear_Pest_Pros Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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- Site of Arbitration, Mediation, and/or Litigation.
In any arbitration or mediation involving a franchise purchased in Washington, the arbitration or mediation site will be either in the state of Washington, or in a place mutually agreed upon at the time of the arbitration or mediation, or as determined by the arbitrator or mediator at the time of arbitration or mediation.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 67–68)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Clear Pest Pros' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, for franchisees in Washington, the mediator can determine the site of mediation. The FDD states that the mediation site will be either in the state of Washington, or in a place mutually agreed upon at the time of the mediation, or as determined by the mediator at the time of mediation.
This means that if a Clear Pest Pros franchisee in Washington has a dispute with the franchisor that goes to mediation, the location of the mediation can be decided in one of three ways: it can be held in Washington state, it can be a location that both the franchisee and franchisor agree on, or the mediator can decide the location.
This is an important protection for franchisees in Washington, as it prevents Clear Pest Pros from forcing franchisees to mediate disputes in a location that is inconvenient or expensive for them. Franchisees should be aware of this provision and consult with an attorney if they have any questions about their rights under the Washington Franchise Investment Protection Act.