Who owns the rights, title, and interest in the Intellectual Property for Mr. Sandless?

According to the 2025 Mr. Sandless Franchise Disclosure Document, Mr. Sandless retains sole rights to and interest in all social media accounts, electronic mail addresses, telephone numbers, and other listings associated with the Proprietary Marks. This means that while franchisees may use these assets during the term of their agreement, ultimate ownership remains with Mr. Sandless. Upon termination of the franchise agreement, the franchisee must discontinue all advertising under the Mr. Sandless name, de-identify service vehicles and office locations, and cancel registrations relating to the use of any Proprietary Marks. This includes electronic addresses, domain names, search engines, and websites that associate the franchisee with Mr. Sandless.

Mr. Sandless requires franchisees to notify the telephone company and all listing agencies of the termination or expiration of their right to use any telephone number and any classified or other telephone directory listings associated with such names. Franchisees must also authorize the transfer of these assets to Mr. Sandless or a new franchisee. To ensure a smooth transition, franchisees are required to provide an undated assignment of the telephone number to Mr. Sandless upon execution of the agreement.

These stipulations are typical in franchising, as they protect the brand's intellectual property and ensure consistency across all franchise locations. By retaining ownership of these digital assets, Mr. Sandless can maintain control over its brand identity and ensure that customers can easily find and connect with the business, even after a franchise changes hands. This also prevents former franchisees from leveraging the Mr. Sandless brand to promote competing businesses after their franchise agreement ends.