What happens to the Crawlspace Medic Franchise Agreement upon the death or permanent disability of the franchisee?
Crawlspace_Medic Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
| p. | Death or disability of franchisee | Sections 16.3, 16.4 and 16.7 | The Franchise Agreement will terminate automatically upon your death or permanent disability, unless prohibited by law and the Franchise is transferred within 6 months to a replacement franchisee that we approve. | | m. | Conditions for franchisor approval of a transfer | Section 16.3 and 16.4 | Conditions include: our decision not to exercise our right of first refusal; transferee meets our then-current standards for qualifying franchisees; transferee signs our then-current form of Franchise Agreement, which may have materially different terms from your Franchise Agreement; transferee successfully complete our Initial Training Program; you have paid us and third-party creditors all amounts owed; you and the transferee sign a General Release in the form of Exhibit C to the Franchise Agreement; you shall subordinate any claims you have against the transferee to us; you will indemnify us for a period of 3 years following the transfer; our approval of the material terms and conditions of the transfer; payment of a transfer fee equal to sixty percent (60%) of the then current franchise fee for a transfer to an individual or entity that is new to the brand, or forty percent (40%) of the then current franchise fee for a transfer to an existing owner within the system, or $1,500 for a transfer between existing owner or adding a new shareholder that does not change the majority ownership, or no payment for a transfer to a spouse, parent or child upon death or permanent disability of the current Franchisee.
Source: Item 17 — RENEWAL, TERMINATION, TRANSFER AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION (FDD pages 33–38)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Crawlspace Medic's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Franchise Agreement will automatically terminate if the franchisee dies or becomes permanently disabled. However, this termination is not absolute. If not prohibited by law, the franchise can be transferred within 6 months to a replacement franchisee, provided that Crawlspace Medic approves the new franchisee.
This means that the franchisee's heirs or legal representatives have a limited window of opportunity to find a qualified buyer for the franchise. This buyer must meet Crawlspace Medic's standards and be approved by them. If a suitable buyer is found and approved within the 6-month timeframe, the franchise can continue to operate under new ownership.
It is important to note that the conditions for transfer include that there is no transfer fee to a spouse, parent or child upon death or permanent disability of the current Franchisee. This provides some relief to the family of the deceased or disabled franchisee. However, if a suitable replacement franchisee is not found or approved within the specified time, the franchise will terminate, and the assets of the business will need to be liquidated or otherwise disposed of.