Who bears the costs associated with deactivating or transferring a non-compliant RE/MAX Formative Domain Name?
Remax Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You and your Owners further agree that you will, at your own expense, promptly execute and deliver all necessary documents and take any action reasonably requested by us or REMAX, LLC necessary to effect the assignment and transfer of domain names or Internet addresses required to be deactivated, redirected, assigned, transferred, terminated and/or disconnected pursuant to this Subsection and Subsection 14.B.(5), including compliance with any procedure for the transfer of domain names established by the domain name registrar or entity that issues the domain name. You agree to direct all Internet service providers, domain name registrars and domain name listing agencies and other third parties to accept this Agreement as conclusive of the rights of REMAX, LLC to ownership, control and benefit of all RE/MAX Formative Domain Names and Internet addresses you or your Sales Associates create. You and your Owners further hereby appoint REMAX, LLC as your agent and attorney-in-fact to act for and on your behalf to execute, register, and file such documents, complete such processes, and to perform all other lawfully permitted acts as the registrar, or any applicable law, requires to effectuate a transfer of such domain names or Internet addresses with the same legal force and effect as if executed by you or your Owners. You agree to pay directly, or reimburse us or REMAX, LLC for, any and all costs and attorney fees we and/or REMAX, LLC incur in the process of obtaining and/or deactivating (in REMAX Regional or REMAX, LLC's sole discretion), any such domain name or Internet address.
Source: Item 22 — Contracts (FDD pages 108–334)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Remax's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee is responsible for the costs associated with deactivating or transferring a non-compliant RE/MAX Formative Domain Name. Specifically, the franchisee must cooperate with Remax, LLC, and bear the costs to recover any RE/MAX Formative Domain Name that does not comply with the brand's guidelines. This includes domain names registered by the franchisee, their office, sales associates, or anyone affiliated with their office.
This means that if a franchisee or someone associated with their office registers a domain name that violates Remax's brand standards, the franchisee will have to pay the expenses to correct the issue. These expenses can include fees for deactivating, redirecting, assigning, transferring, terminating, or disconnecting the non-compliant domain name. This responsibility extends to domain names owned by sales associates that are not properly assigned to the franchisee upon termination or non-renewal of the sales associate's agreement, or domain names that are abandoned without renewal.
Furthermore, the franchisee is expected to take any action and execute all necessary documents at their own expense to facilitate the transfer of domain names or Internet addresses. This includes complying with procedures established by domain name registrars. Remax, LLC, can also act as the franchisee's agent to ensure these transfers are completed. The franchisee is also responsible for reimbursing Remax, LLC, for any costs and attorney fees incurred during the process of obtaining or deactivating a non-compliant domain name.
This requirement underscores the importance of adhering to Remax's brand standards and domain name guidelines. Franchisees should ensure that all domain names registered by themselves or their associates comply with Remax's rules to avoid incurring these costs. It also highlights the need for franchisees to manage domain name registrations carefully, especially when sales associates leave the company, to prevent any non-compliance issues.