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A54/100FDD 2025

Lawn Squad — Litigation & Risk

Home Services - Lawn & Landscaping · FDD Items 3, 4 & 5

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Lower Risk

No litigation cases disclosed in FDD Items 3 and 4.

Source: FDD Items 3–5

FDD Items 3 & 4

Litigation Metrics

Cases disclosed
0
Total from FDD Items 3 and 4
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
—
Franchisor or officer bankruptcy
Overall risk score
54 / 100
FranchiseVerdict composite
Rating
STRONG
STRONG / MODERATE / CAUTION / AVOID

7(a) FOIA data · FY2020–present

SBA Loan Performance

Aggregated from public SBA 7(a) loan disclosures. Default rate is the share of loans that were charged off or settled for less than the full balance.

Total 7(a) loans
2
Government-backed loans issued
Default rate
—
vs <3% typical · system-wide
5-yr default rate
—
Defaults
0 loans
Loans charged off or defaulted
Total loan volume
$300K
Avg loan size
$150K
Participating lenders
1

FDD Items 5, 6 & 17 — what you give up

Contract Risk Indicators

Mandatory arbitration
Required
Disputes resolved outside court — limits your legal options
Jury trial waiver
Waived
You give up the right to a jury trial
Non-compete
2 yrs
Post-termination restriction on similar businesses
Franchisor can compete
Yes
Franchisor can open competing locations in or near your territory
Right of first refusal
Yes
Franchisor can match any purchase offer when you try to sell
Governing law
Maryland
State whose law governs disputes — relevant if you're not based there

What drove the 54/100 rating

Risk Score Breakdown

  1. 01HIGHGoing Concern status indicates franchisor financial distress or viability questions
  2. 02MINOROnly 16 units with unknown growth trajectory suggests stagnant or declining system
  3. 03MEDNo Item 19 (financial performance representations) disclosed — cannot validate average revenue/net income claims independently
  4. 04MINORHigh royalty rate (7%) combined with seasonal lawn care business may compress margins during off-season
  5. 05MINORSignificant gap between average revenue ($420k) and average net income ($703k) is mathematically impossible and raises data integrity concerns

Severity inferred from FDD text — not a regulatory or legal classification

Litigation data from FDD Items 3, 4, and 5. SBA data from public 7(a) FOIA records (FY2020–present). Not legal advice — consult a franchise attorney before signing any franchise agreement.