Selling a franchise: two audiences, one set of documents.

What a franchise buyer usually asks for

• The franchise agreement, any variations, and the operations manual or the parts of it the franchisor allows a buyer to read.
• The remaining term, renewal rights and any transfer conditions in the agreement.
• Trading figures for the outlet, often in the franchisor's reporting format, and financial statements.
• Royalty and marketing fund statements, showing what has been paid.
• The premises lease, which may be held by the franchisor or by you.
• An equipment list and fit-out details, and any refurbishment the franchisor requires on transfer.
• Employment agreements and rosters, if staff are expected to stay.

What the franchisor usually asks for

• The incoming buyer's application, financial position and experience.
• The agreed sale terms, so it can check them against the franchise agreement.
• Confirmation that fees and reporting are up to date.

The Franchise Association of New Zealand publishes material for franchisees and franchisors. Your franchise agreement and your adviser decide the actual steps.

Keeping the sale moving

Franchise sales often stall while three parties wait on each other. A document request list keeps it visible: load the buyer's and the franchisor's requests as items, assign each to you, your accountant or the franchisor's transfer contact, and track them through to provided.

Questions can be asked and answered inside the room, with categories and priorities, so the answer the franchisor gives about refurbishment requirements is there for the buyer to read rather than lost in a forwarded email.

When the buyer's application is approved and the sale settles, export the room as a ZIP that keeps its folders, with an index of every document as PDF and CSV, and revoke access. If the sale falls over, revoke the buyer's invitation and the room closes for them, while your folders are ready for the next buyer.