Judge: Protect franchisee against supermarket organization (Coop) as lessor
Does the franchisee need legal protection from supermarket franchisor Coop? The District Court of Rotterdam ruled on 9 February 2018, ECLI:NL:RBROT:2018:1151, that this is the case.
In the event of (premature) termination of the franchise agreement, the rental agreement does not also end automatically. Franchisors often stipulate in their contracts with the franchisee that the duration of the franchise agreement and the lease agreement run synchronously. That provision is in principle invalid.
If a supermarket entrepreneur rents the business space from the franchisor, then the entrepreneur is very dependent on the franchisor. Fortunately, the law has rent protection rules. For example, if the franchise agreement ends, the rental agreement does not also end.
Together with a franchisee, Coop had asked the court for permission to link the duration of the franchise agreement to the duration of the rental agreement. The court makes it clear that the franchisee does not have such a social position compared to Coop. The franchisee requires legal rent protection towards Coop.
It is not the first time that if the franchise agreement ends, the supermarket entrepreneur can operate another formula, despite still renting from the old supermarket organization.
mr. AW Dolphijn – franchise lawyer
Ludwig & Van Dam Franchise attorneys, franchise legal advice. Do you want to respond? Go to dolphijn@ludwigvandam.nl .
![232court-min](https://www.ludwigvandam.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/232court-min.jpg)
Other messages
No franchise agreement, despite the designation
Not everything is what it looks like. Even if the franchisor and franchisee believe that there is a franchise agreement, the legal situation may be different.
Compensation for reputational damage to the franchisor
A developer of a digital platform for a franchisor had provided a platform that any third party could access.
Sale of a franchise company due to a non-competition clause: False construction or not?
Franchisees who are unwilling or unable to continue with the franchise company experience whether or not the non-competition clause is valid or not.
Prohibited Franchise Agreements: Conduct of Franchisees Among Others
Forms of franchising that do not involve a vertical relationship between the franchisor on the one hand and the franchisees on the other may be prohibited.
Formula change not justified – dated October 23, 2018 – mr. AW Dolphin
Formula change not justified
A new franchisor against will and thanks
Mergers between franchise organizations are no longer an exception. Multivlaai/Limburgia, DA/DIO, Emté/Jumbo are recent examples of this.