Buying a Franchise in the UAE: Putting Training and Support into the Contract

When buying a franchise in the UAE, the promise of ‘comprehensive training and ongoing support’ may seem reason enough to choose a brand. But it does not explain who will receive the training, who will pay for it, or what happens if the business opens without meaningful support. A good franchise partnership depends on a clear transfer of knowledge. Treat training and support as services to assess, cost and document, rather than simply benefits listed in a sales pitch.

1. Test the franchisor’s ability to support you before signing

Start by requesting the actual training plan and a sample support schedule used with existing franchisees. Do not settle for an introductory presentation: ask who will deliver the services, where they are based, which languages they work in and how many businesses they support. An ever-available sales manager is no guarantee of an operations team capable of helping you after you sign.

Arrange conversations with franchisees who have recently opened, as well as those who are beyond the start-up stage. Ask about their practical experience, not just their overall satisfaction:

• Was training delivered on time and did it cover the agreed content?
• Was the franchisor’s team present during the set-up and opening stages?
• How was the first operational breakdown or staff skills gap addressed?
• Which services later turned out to carry additional charges?

Also check whether the training is suitable for the UAE: does it cover locally used point-of-sale systems, customer expectations and operating procedures relevant to the business? The brand’s experience outside the country is valuable, but it does not remove the need to adapt its procedures to local requirements. Ask for supporting evidence with sensitive information removed, such as an operational visit report or a plan used to resolve a previous problem.

2. Understand why the promise needs to be contractual

The UAE has no standalone federal franchise law, nor a specific federal regime requiring a standardised disclosure document before a franchise is sold. Do not therefore assume that the franchisor must automatically provide training and support details in the format used in some other countries. Request them in writing, then incorporate the key obligations into the agreement or its schedules.

Relationships that are not registered as commercial agencies are subject to general contract rules, including the Civil Transactions Law and the Commercial Transactions Law issued under Federal Decree-Law No. 50 of 2022, alongside other legislation relevant to the business. The absence of a mandatory franchise-specific disclosure document does not mean there is no liability for misrepresentation or breach of obligations under general legal rules.

Federal Law No. 3 of 2022 Regulating Commercial Agencies replaced the former Commercial Agencies Law No. 18 of 1981. It may apply to a franchise relationship that meets its conditions and is registered as a commercial agency with the relevant ministry. It is not a standalone franchise law, and it does not make registration mandatory for every franchise agreement.

Ask a lawyer to establish the legal status of your agreement before settling on remedies for non-performance or a dispute resolution process. Do not treat a trade licence or trade mark registration as evidence that the relationship is registered as a commercial agency.

3. Turn training into a schedule you can verify

The training schedule should answer five questions: who will be trained, in what, where, when and how completion will be demonstrated. Specify whether the programme covers the owner, manager and staff, and whether replacement sessions are available when a team member changes.

Break the content down into practical tasks, such as operating the point-of-sale system, managing stock, serving customers and preparing reports. Link each task to a clear completion standard: a practical demonstration, a specified test or a checklist signed by both parties. Avoid relying solely on wording such as ‘training at the franchisor’s discretion’, particularly if passing the training is a condition of permission to open.

Also document the training language, the materials you will receive, your continued access to them and how they will be updated. If the operations manual can be amended, ask for an order of precedence between the documents so that updates to the manual cannot undermine the support obligations in the contract.

For safety- or licensing-related training, distinguish between the brand’s programme and any qualification or accreditation required by the relevant local authority. The franchisor’s training does not automatically satisfy regulatory requirements.

4. Calculate the full cost and define service levels

Request a schedule distinguishing training included in the franchise fee from additional costs. Check travel, accommodation, translation, staff wages during training, retest fees, training for replacement staff and site visits. Include these items in your start-up budget and working capital planning rather than treating them as unforeseen expenses.

For ongoing support, agree on communication channels, service hours and a system for classifying support requests. A point-of-sale system failure is not the same as a question about display layout. Distinguish between the time allowed to acknowledge a request, the time to begin addressing it and the target resolution time.

Specify the frequency of operational visits, the deliverables from each visit and who is responsible for implementing recommendations. If support is delivered remotely from outside the UAE, check that service hours match your business’s opening hours, particularly during holidays and periods of peak demand.

5. Agree on remedies for non-performance

Set out a written procedure for documenting failures and notifying the franchisor, followed by an appropriate period to remedy the issue and an escalation process. You can negotiate repeat training at no charge, a replacement trainer, an extended support period or appropriate contractual compensation, with a lawyer reviewing the wording and enforceability.

Make each party’s responsibilities clear: if training is delayed because of the franchisor, how will that affect the opening date? If your staff miss a session, who pays for it to be repeated? Do not stop paying fees or deduct amounts unilaterally without a contractual basis and legal advice.

The practical takeaway: Before signing, bring together the training plan, its costs, support service levels and the procedure for addressing non-performance in a binding schedule. A useful promise is not ‘we will support you’, but a commitment whose delivery you know how to verify.