please help I'm being bullied

[raj1977]

If someone could give me some advice I'd be really grateful.

I bought into a franchise and I am now being bullied by the franchisor. He keeps threatening to cancel my franchise agreement and the latest threat is that he will cancel my agreement if I do not turn up for a meeting 300 miles away in the head office.

As franchising is so unregulated in the UK, I do not know where to go other than an expensive lawyer, who I cannot afford!

I wondered if I could join a union but I don't suppose a union would take a business owner on and then help with negotiations later on!

Any advicev would be gratefully recieved.

 

[GraemeL]

You will have signed a legal document to take on this franchise. Are you following all of the terms and conditions that you agreed to?

Some time ago you sought advice about the franchise. Did you take it?

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/home-care-franchise.293718/

G

 

[raj1977]

There are so many stipulations. In trying I follow them. I upset e franchisor by sending out emails to other franchisors but I did this for all our benefits. Now he is threatening to take my franchise away if I do not attend a meeting. It seems so OTT.

Are there any protections for me as a franchisee. I can't find any at all. The UK appears to be so unregulated!

Are there any trade unions that take on franchisees?

 

[SwindonSteve]

http://www.thebfa.org

Don't know if they could point you in the right direction?

Is the franchisor a member of the above?

 

[GraemeL]

Are there any trade unions that take on franchisees?

They are called solicitors.

You have made legal agreement that imposes onerous conditions on both parties. Your post is infering (i.e. "There are so many stipulations") that having signed up you now don't like what you have signed up to.

You will have protections in your agreement. Your franchiser is not bullying you if what is being asked of you is within the agreement.

You are not an employee but a self employed businessman. Get real. If you have followed the terms of the franchise then you have nothing to worry about. A solicitor will soon sort your franchisor out. If you have not followed the terms of the franchise, then you are in trouble and you need to go out of your way to make amends.

G

 

[paulears]

Sounds like they know they are in the right. If you don't turn up, it will be yet another nail. Franchise agreements are complex documents - take the advice above. See a solicitor - but if you have to do 300 miles, then for goodness sake - do it!

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Arrange a date that suits you insay 7 to 14 days at the latest

Ask for the agenda of the meeting so you can be prepared to answer any problems they throw up

Tell them you will only be able to answer questions that are on the agenda at this meeting but happy to answer other questions ata further meeting if required

Send this all ina registered first class letter to their registered office and also working address if different

Notify them by email you are sending them a letter

Either record any phone calls to or from them or request they send emails soyou have a pa per trail

At the meeting I would use a pen recoder to record the meeting, these can be brought for about £30 and have the ability to record a video copy of he me eting from a breast pocket without them knowing, I use on as onced fleeced by a sales person and had no proof of what he said

 

[fairdealworld]

Trade Unions are really to support and protect employees (and campaign on their behalf) rather than business owners. As a franchisee you are the owner of a small business which you have acquired under certain conditions.

There are organisations which business owners join for help and mutual support (plus these organisations campaign on business issues). The Federation of Small Businesses is perhaps the most obvious organisation which you could join - yes there is a membership fee but as well as support members get various special deals which can reduce the cost of running a business. It will vary from business to business but I reckon to save more than my membership fee each year simply through using one or two of these deals. Whether you could do so or not I simply don't know.

Are there franchisees who are members of the FSB - yes there certainly are. Could the FSB help you avoid the conditions which you signed up to when you took on the franchise - well almost certainly not, unless you signed with a gun at your head! (The FSB might campaign against unreasonable clauses in franchise agreements but that is a different issue and only of long term relevance). Could the FSB help you with ongoing issues for example if the franchiser was imposing new conditions and requirements which you didn't sign up to in the first place - well almost certainly it could and would. If a business organisation doesn't appeal to you then you have got to talk to a solicitor or join a business organisation AND talk to a solicitor.

Right now, if you don't want to lose this franchise (do you definitely want to keep it?) you've got to go to that meeting.

 

[raj1977]

Thanks to all those who have given me positive feedback. I will be going to the meeting as I think it is the most constructive thing to do.