FranchiseVerdict
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B57/100FDD 2022

River Pools® — Litigation & Risk

Other · 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
57 / 100
FranchiseVerdict composite
Rating
MODERATE
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
1
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
$25K
Avg loan size
$25K
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
Indiana
State whose law governs disputes — relevant if you're not based there

What drove the 57/100 rating

Risk Score Breakdown

  1. 01MINORNo Item 19 financial performance disclosure (avg revenue and net income not provided) prevents ROI validation
  2. 02MINORHigh royalty rate of 12% based on manufacturer's listed price (not actual franchisee revenue) creates unclear fee structure and potential margin compression
  3. 03MINOROnly 17 units with 54.5% YoY growth indicates small, early-stage system vulnerable to unit churn; absolute growth numbers are marginal
  4. 04MINORHigh initial investment range ($113.7K-$288.2K) with $50K franchise fee lacks transparent payback period or break-even timeline
  5. 05MINORBroad territory protection claim requires verification—undefined territory size and density thresholds create expansion risk

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.