BACKGROUND Airbnb was ordered to pay penalties of $15 million for making misleading representations to consumers about accommodation prices. Basically, the misrepresentation applied to the display of prices on their website. The display did not indicate that prices were displayed in US dollars, leading customers to believe that the amounts were stated in Australian dollars. Then, when receiving a complaint from a customer, Airbnb falsely told those customers that it was the users who...

The Franchise & Business Lawyers’ very own principal, Elizabeth Gore-Jones, is a regular presenter at Legalwise Seminars, where she generously shares her expertise in legal matters, especially in franchising law, with her fellow legal practitioners seeking continuing professional development. This March, Elizabeth’s usual solo presentations shift into a unique dimension as she takes the floor with her esteemed colleague, Simone Pentis, for a special co-presentation titled &ld...

People often mistakenly enter into a licence agreement or distribution agreement when it is in fact a franchise agreement. This means that they do not comply with the Franchising Code of Conduct which may lead to large penalties. If an agreement meets all of the criteria of a franchise agreement, then the Franchising Code of Conduct must be complied with, regardless of whether the agreement is called a franchise, licence, distribution or otherwise. The criteria for a franchise agreement ar...