factual

What rights is the Epcon Communities franchisee desiring to sublicense to the sublicensee?

Epcon_Communities Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

e each desire to acknowledge that Franchisor is intended to be a third | | | | party beneficiary of this Sublicense Agreement. | | | | Agreement | | | | | | | | | | | NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, of the agreements, terms and conditions herein contained, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Franchisee and Sublicensee hereby agree as follows, each intending to be legally bound hereby:

    1. Grant of Sublicense. Franchisee hereby expressly grants to Sublicensee a limited, nontransferable and royalty free sublicense to use the Development System, Epcon Communities Works and the Marks solely in connection with the development and marketing of an Epcon Communities project pursuant to a Market Area Agreement to be executed by and between Sublicensee and Franchisor and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Franchise Agreement and this Sublicense Agreement. Compliance with all terms and conditions of this Sublicense Agreement, is a strict condition precedent to this sublicense. This sublicense shall not include the grant of rights to, or the imposition of obligations upon, Franchisee provided under Sections 3.4 or 4.1 of the Franchise Agreement. Article 21 of the Franchise Agreement shall not be included in the sublicense hereunder. The Franchise Agreement shall remain in full force and effect subsequent to execution of this Sublicense Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 1 shall not prevent the Sublicensee from using those materials provided by Franchisor to Franchisee pursuant to Section 4.1 of the Franchise Agreement.
    1. Acceptance of Sublicense and Assumption of the Obligations. Sublicensee hereby accepts the sublicense described in Section 1 hereof and, as of the date hereof, assumes, and agrees to be bound by, all of Franchisee's obligations under the Franchise Agreement and any related agreements as such obligations relate to the Epcon Communities project developed by Sublicensee.
    1. Term. Except as provided in Section 5 of this Sublicense Agreement, the sublicense granted pursuant to Section 1 of this Sublicense Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until the earlier of (a) the date of the sale of the last unit of Sublicensee's Epcon Communities project (b) the date that is one year after the completion of construction (as defined by Section 11.1 of the Franchise Agreement) of the last unit of Sublicensee's Epcon Communities project or (c) the date of the termination of the Franchise Agreement (the "Term").

    1. Ownership of Development System, Epcon Communities Works and Marks. Sublicensee acknowledges Franchisor's sole and exclusive rights in and to the Development System, Epcon Communities Works and the Marks, and Sublicensee agrees that it will do nothing inconsistent with such rights and interests and that all use of the Development System, Epcon Communities Works and the Marks by Sublicensee shall inure to the benefit of and be on behalf of Franchisor. If requested by Franchisor or Franchisee, Sublicensee agrees to assist Franchisor in recording this Sublicense Agreement with the appropriate governmental authorities. Sublicensee agrees that nothing in this Sublicense Agreement shall give Sublicensee any right, title or interest in any of the Development System, Epcon Communities Works or the Marks other than the right to use the Development System, Epcon Communities Works and the Marks in accordance with this Sublicense Agreement, and Sublicensee agrees that it will not attack the title of Franchisor to the Development System, Epcon Communities Works or the Marks or attack the validity of the Franchise Agreement or validity of the sublicense granted pursuant to this Sublicense Agreement. Sublicensee acknowledges and agrees that its strict compliance with the provisions of this Sublicense Agreement is a condition precedent to its sublicense to utilize the Epcon Communities Works, and as such any use of such works in violation of any of these provisions is unauthorized and will be acts of copyright infringement.
    1. Termination.

Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 86–280)

What This Means (2025 FDD)

According to the 2025 Epcon Communities Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee may sublicense to a sublicensee the right to use the Development System, Epcon Communities Works, and the Marks. This sublicense is limited, non-transferable, and royalty-free, and it is specifically for the development and marketing of an Epcon Communities project under a Market Area Agreement between the Sublicensee and Epcon Communities. The sublicense is subject to the terms and conditions outlined in both the Franchise Agreement and the Sublicense Agreement.

However, this sublicense does not extend to rights or obligations under Sections 3.4 or 4.1 of the Franchise Agreement, and Article 21 of the Franchise Agreement is excluded from the sublicense. The original Franchise Agreement remains in full effect even after the Sublicense Agreement is executed. Despite these limitations, the sublicensee can still use materials provided by Epcon Communities to the franchisee under Section 4.1 of the Franchise Agreement.

The sublicensee must acknowledge Epcon Communities' exclusive rights to the Development System, Epcon Communities Works, and the Marks. The sublicensee's use of these assets must benefit Epcon Communities. The sublicensee cannot challenge Epcon Communities' title to these assets or the validity of the Franchise Agreement or the sublicense. Strict compliance with the Sublicense Agreement is essential for the sublicensee to use the Epcon Communities Works, and any unauthorized use constitutes copyright infringement.

This arrangement allows an Epcon Communities franchisee to bring in another party to develop a specific project while ensuring that Epcon Communities retains control over its intellectual property and brand standards. The franchisee needs Epcon Communities' consent to sublicense its rights, especially if the sublicensee isn't under identical or substantially identical common ownership with the franchisee. Epcon Communities may also require that the franchisee's financial obligations are met and that the sublicensee has a good credit rating and sufficient capital before the sublicense takes effect.

Disclaimer: This information is extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and is provided for research purposes only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decisions.