Year Business Began: 1996
Franchising Since: 1997
Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio
Estimated Number of Units: 305
Franchise Description: The franchisor is H.H. Franchising Systems, Inc. (HHFS). The franchisor offers franchises to operate a distinctive type of business under the trade name “Home Helpers Home Care.” A Home Helpers franchise offers senior care, home care and skilled care services. At a minimum, franchisees will offer non-medical services, including “homemaker” services such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, running errands, grocery shopping, reading, companionship and general assistance. Franchisees may also offer personal care services, which typically involve hands-on assistance with activities of daily living, such as helping the client bathe (in a shower or tub), shave, fix their hair, eat, or brush their teeth. Franchisees may also offer skilled care services (also known as “home health care”) with the franchisor’s approval if, before offering those services, they demonstrate that they are qualified and comply with all state and federal health care industry standards, local health care regulations, various licensing standards, and other requirements that may apply, and have the proper insurance that provides coverage for the skilled care services offered.
Training Overview: The franchisor will train up to two people to operate a Home Helpers franchise. The initial training program is mandatory—franchisees, or the person designated as responsible for the general oversight and management of the franchised business, must begin the training program within 90 days after they sign the franchise agreement and complete it to the franchisor’s satisfaction, or the franchisor has the right to terminate the franchise without refunding any fees they have paid. Before franchisees attend the classroom phase, they must complete approximately 8.5 hours of live webinars, prerecorded videos, and structured video and audio conferences with their onboarding coach and other members of the training staff. The principal segment of the initial training program is the classroom phase, which consists of approximately 4.5 days of classroom instruction, presently conducted at the company’s corporate headquarters in Blue Ash, Ohio or via live webinars and video and audio conferencing. Within five months after opening the franchised business, franchisees are required to attend one of the franchisor’s certified training centers for two to three days of on-site training conducted by an experienced Home Helpers franchise owner. At the present time, the franchisor does not provide or require franchisees to attend additional training programs after their successful completion of the initial training program, but it may offer optional hands-on in-field training at various locations. The franchisor reserves the right to require additional training and to charge franchisees a reasonable fee for it.
Territory Granted: The franchisor will grant franchisees an exclusive territory comprised of Postal ZIP Code(s) according to its mapping system in place when franchisees sign the Franchise Agreement. If the U.S. Postal Service moves, alters, or eliminates any of the ZIP Code(s) assigned to franchisees, the franchisor has the right to re-define the boundaries of the territory to correspond as nearly as possible to the original territorial border. The franchisor’s decision on this matter will be final. Franchisees maintain the rights to their territory even if the population increases. The territory franchisees will receive for the base initial franchise fee will contain a population of up to 250,000. If the population of the territory exceeds 250,000, franchisees must pay an additional $500 for all or part of every 1,000 people over 250,000. There is no maximum limit on the population of the territory. Except as provided in the FDD, the franchisor may not operate or grant another Home Helpers franchise within the Home Helpers franchise territory. Subject to restrictions on operating in another franchisee’s territory, franchisees may solicit clients and provide services up to 25 miles from the protected territory.
Obligations and Restrictions: The franchised business must be directly supervised “on-premises” by a manager who has been approved by the franchisor and has successfully completed the training program and all other training that the franchisor designates as mandatory. Franchisees may not compete with, or be involved in any business that competes with, a Home Helpers Home Care franchise anywhere during the term of the franchise agreement, or in or within 25 miles of their franchise territory or any other franchisee’s territory for two years after the expiration or termination of their franchise agreement. Franchisees may not use the premises on which the franchised business is located for any purpose other than the operation of the franchised business and the sale of authorized products and services (this restriction does not apply if franchisees operates the franchised business from their home). Franchisees are required to offer and sell only those products and services that the franchisor has authorized. The franchised business will be required to maintain minimum monthly sales performance levels.
Term of Agreement and Renewal: The length of the initial franchise term is 10 years (15 years in California). If franchisees wish to do so, and they satisfy the required pre-conditions to renewal, the franchisor will offer them the right to obtain two additional 10-year terms (15-year term in California).
Financial Assistance: The franchisor does not offer direct or indirect financing. The franchisor does not guarantee franchisees’ note, lease, or obligation. The franchisor does offer a 20% discount on the initial franchise fee to veterans who meet the requirements of the VetFran program. The qualifying veteran must own more than 50% of the franchise.
| Name of Fee | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $48,900 | $48,900 |
| Furniture and Equipment | $500 | $2,000 |
| Computer System | $2,500 | $4,000 |
| Travel & Living Expenses while Training | $750 | $2,500 |
| Initial Rent, Telephone, Bank & Other Deposits | $0 | $2,000 |
| Business Foundations Kit | $9,750 | $9,750 |
| Licensing Fee | $0 | $15,000 |
| Monthly Office Rental Payment | $0 | $1,250 |
| Insurance | $3,600 | $8,000 |
| Policies and Procedures Manual | $950 | $950 |
| Additional Funds - 3 months | $33,000 | $55,000 |
| ESTIMATED TOTAL* | $99,950 | $149,350 |
*The estimated initial investment range does not include estimated additional investment for skilled care services. See FDD for more details.
| Type of Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty Fee | 6% down to 3% of gross revenues; $500 monthly minimum until the franchisee becomes subject to the monthly performance standards. |
| Branding Fee | 2% down to 0.5% of gross revenues; $500 monthly minimum until the franchisee becomes subject to the monthly performance standards. |
| Local Cooperative Advertising | Up to 3% of gross revenues unless a majority of the cooperative members agree on a higher contribution. |
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 to $70,000, depending on the purchase price, plus the amount of any broker commissions or referral fees the franchisor must pay in connection with the transfer. |
| Transferee Referral Fee | $10,000 |
| Renewal Fee | Lesser of 5% of then-current initial franchise fee or $10,000. |
| Technology Fee | $750 per year. |
| Territory Amendment Fee | $2,000 |
| Franchisee Meetings | Currently $225 to $1,000 per person; “no-show” fee is $2,000-3,000 for national meetings, $200-$600 for regional meetings. |
| Client Referral Fees | Variable. |
| Call Center Fees | Variable. |
| Formation of Business Entity | Variable. |
| Late Fee | Greater of $50 or 10% of payment; $50/day for each late report; $50/day if client invoices not posted by 10th of month. |
| Interest | 18% |
| Client Refunds | Amount of expense advanced plus 18% interest. |
| Audit Fee | Cost of audit plus 18% interest on underpayment. |
| Sales/Use Taxes | Variable. |
| Reimbursement | Amount of expense advanced plus 18% interest. |
| Legal Expenses | Amount of expense advanced plus 18% interest. |
| Indemnification | Amount of expense advanced plus 18% interest. |
The above information has been compiled from the FDD of Home Helpers. Year of FDD: 2023.
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