The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has applied to the Federal Court for leave to commence proceedings against Geowash Pty Ltd (subject to deed of company arrangement) (Geowash), a national car wash franchisor that has been marketing and selling hand car wash franchises since 2013.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against Ultra Tune Australia Pty Ltd (Ultra Tune), a national motor vehicle repair franchisor, for a number of alleged failures to comply with the Franchising Code (the Code) and for alleged breaches of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).
Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (Domino’s) is the first company to pay penalties for alleged non-compliance with the Franchising Code of Conduct.
Following the issue of two infringement notices by the ACCC, Domino’s has paid penalties totalling $18,000. The ACCC issued the infringement notices because it believed that Domino’s had failed to comply with the requirement in the Franchising Code of Conduct to provide franchisees with both an annual marketing fund financial statement and an auditor’s report within the time limits prescribed under the Code.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s new report into potentially unfair contract terms details its review of 46 contracts across seven industries, which resulted in a range of businesses making changes to their small business standard form contracts.
The ACCC will begin enforcing the new law this week [Nov 12], when consumer protections against unfair contract terms are extended to include up to 2 million Australian small businesses.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is warning franchisors about potentially unfair contract terms under a new law offering greater protections to small businesses from 12 November 2016.
Speaking to the legal symposium at the National Franchise Convention in Canberra, ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper outlined the ACCC’s findings following a review that identified a number of problematic terms that appear to be widespread in the franchising industry.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against Pastacup’s current franchisor Morild Pty Ltd (Morild) and that company’s former director Mr Stuart Bernstein alleging breaches of the Franchising Code of Conduct.
Mr Bernstein co-founded the Pastacup franchise in 2008 and has managed and been a director of two previous franchisors of the Pastacup franchise system that became insolvent.
The Federal Court has ordered a $500,000 penalty against South East Melbourne Cleaning Pty Ltd (in liquidation) (formerly Coverall Cleaning Concepts South East Melbourne Pty Ltd) (Coverall Melbourne) for contraventions of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), in proceedings brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Coverall Melbourne was the Victorian franchisor of a national professional cleaning franchise system.
Growing numbers of small businesses are looking to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissioner for advice and guidance, according to latest data from the national competition & franchising regulator.
Over 7, 000 people have contacted the ACCC in last six months with a small business or franchising related complaint or enquiry, and more than 8,000 people have completed the ACCC’s three free online education programs for small businesses, tertiary students and franchisees. There were also some 333 000 visits to the ACCC’s business webpages over the same time.