Franchise
Buying a franchise business or renewing a lease
Published
Get the documents reviewed before you sign
If you are buying a franchise, the documents you sign at the start decide almost everything that follows: the term, the renewal rights, the fees, the territory, the supply arrangements and what happens if it does not work out.
Under the Franchising Code of Conduct a franchisor must give you a disclosure document and a copy of the franchise agreement, and there is a cooling off period after signing. That period is short and it is not a substitute for advice beforehand.
The lease is part of the same picture. A franchise term that outlasts the lease, or a lease with no option to renew, is a problem you want to find before settlement rather than three years into trading.
Talk to our franchising team before you sign anything.
Last reviewed 3 August 2026 by the TWC Lawyers team. Queensland penalty units and court fees are indexed on 1 July each year. Check current figures before you rely on them, or ask us.