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A47/100FDD 2026

Z Plumberz — Litigation & Risk

Home Services - Plumbing & HVAC · 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
47 / 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
10
Government-backed loans issued
Default rate
0.0%
vs <3% typical · system-wide
5-yr default rate
—
Defaults
0 loans
Loans charged off or defaulted
Total loan volume
$2.3M
Avg loan size
$229K
Participating lenders
4

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
1.5 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
Michigan
State whose law governs disputes — relevant if you're not based there

What drove the 47/100 rating

Risk Score Breakdown

  1. 01MINORNo net income disclosure (Item 19) prevents ROI validation; claimed $737k revenue is meaningless without profitability data
  2. 02MINORRapid unit growth of 48.4% YoY is unsustainable and suggests recruitment-heavy model over organic franchisee success
  3. 03HIGHGoing Concern status is FALSE — indicates financial instability at franchisor level, raising questions about support and longevity
  4. 04MEDHigh total investment ($264k-$426k) combined with 8% royalties creates significant cash flow burden without disclosed unit economics
  5. 05MED52-unit system is very small; limited track record and vulnerable to market downturns or franchisor operational issues

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.