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№ 01Buying & Selling a Business · Franchise Resale · Ontario

Buying a Days Inn franchise

Days Inn properties in Ontario are almost always sold together with the real estate they sit on, which makes a Days Inn resale as much a real estate closing as a franchise transfer. Wyndham's brand approval, a Property Improvement Plan review, and — where the property carries a licensed lounge — an AGCO transfer typically run in parallel with the purchase itself.

№ 01.1The Resale, End to End

From offer to ownership

Days Inn resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.

Getting approved

01

Offer on the property & the flag

The offer covers both the real estate and the Days Inn franchise licence together, conditioned on Wyndham approving the transfer of the brand agreement to the incoming owner.

2–4 weeks
02

Brand & property review

Wyndham reviews the incoming operator and typically conducts a property inspection to determine what a Property Improvement Plan will require before the brand agreement transfers.

4–8 weeks
03

Financing & title diligence

Because real property is usually involved, mortgage financing, title, survey, and environmental review for older motel sites run alongside the brand approval.

4–8 weeks, in parallel

Getting to closing

04

Licensing & AGCO, if applicable

Where the property has a licensed lounge or restaurant, an AGCO licence transfer or new application proceeds on its own timeline, separate from the brand and real estate tracks.

4–8 weeks, if applicable
05

New franchise agreement

The incoming owner signs a new, current-form franchise agreement, often incorporating the negotiated Property Improvement Plan as a closing condition.

negotiated alongside brand approval
06

Closing

Real property, business assets, and the franchise agreement all close together, with a defined timeline for completing any required renovations after taking over.

1 day, plus a PIP completion tail
Timelines vary by franchisor approval speedWe track every deadline so nothing lapses.
№ 01.2About the System

About the Days Inn system

CFA listing confirms an established Canadian franchise network, in business in Canada since 1992 (Wyndham Hotels & Resorts brand).

Ontario hotels within its established Canadian franchise network.

№ 01.3Deal Structure

Asset sale or share sale?

This is the first real decision in a Days Inn resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.

QuestionAsset purchaseShare purchase
What you buyThe real property (if included), the hotel's operating assets, and the benefit of the Days Inn franchise agreement, subject to Wyndham's consent.The shares of the corporation holding the property and the franchise agreement — everything it owns and owes.
Seller's liabilitiesGenerally stay behind with the seller, apart from anything specifically assumed in the agreement.Generally come with the company, known and unknown, including any mortgage or lease obligations.
Franchisor consent & PIPRequired for the transfer, typically paired with a Property Improvement Plan the incoming owner must complete on an agreed timeline.Required for the change of control, with the same PIP review still applying to the property itself.
Real propertyTitle, financing, survey, and environmental due diligence proceed as a standard commercial real estate closing.The property stays titled in the corporation's name — diligence still confirms what the company actually holds.
Staff (ESA)Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically apply to how hotel staff carry over.Employment generally continues uninterrupted — the employer doesn't change.
Tax angleBuyer generally gets a stepped-up cost base on the real property and business assets purchased; HST self-assessment applies to the real property transfer.Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares; the property's cost base carries over.
What you buy
Asset sale

The real property (if included), the hotel's operating assets, and the benefit of the Days Inn franchise agreement, subject to Wyndham's consent.

Seller's liabilities
Asset sale

Generally stay behind with the seller, apart from anything specifically assumed in the agreement.

Franchisor consent & PIP
Asset sale

Required for the transfer, typically paired with a Property Improvement Plan the incoming owner must complete on an agreed timeline.

Real property
Asset sale

Title, financing, survey, and environmental due diligence proceed as a standard commercial real estate closing.

Staff (ESA)
Asset sale

Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically apply to how hotel staff carry over.

Tax angle
Asset sale

Buyer generally gets a stepped-up cost base on the real property and business assets purchased; HST self-assessment applies to the real property transfer.

We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.

№ 01.5Costs & Fees

You'll know the number before we start

No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.

Type of workFeeHow it's confirmed
Straightforward purchase or saleStarting from $3,388.87
Our charges · taxes included
Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement.
Larger or more complex dealQuoted to scopeShort call → fixed written quote before any work begins.
Searches, filings & third-party feesAt costItemized on your invoice, not marked up.
Franchisor transfer/application fees, landlord consent costs, and a broker's success fee if the deal was listed — all confirmed once we see your agreement.
Most deals start here

An owner-run business

A single independently-owned Days Inn property changing hands, with the real estate and franchise agreement moving together in one transaction.

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A bit more involved

A larger or more complex deal

A property requiring a substantial Property Improvement Plan, a deal involving an existing mortgage or licensed lounge, or a buyer acquiring more than one flagged property at once.

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Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.

№ 01.6Before You Ask

Common questions

Am I buying the hotel building, or just the franchise licence?

Usually both — most Days Inn resales in Ontario bundle the real property with the franchise agreement and operating business, which is why the deal runs as much like a commercial real estate closing as a franchise transfer.

What is a Property Improvement Plan, and can it change the price?

It's the brand's inspection-driven list of upgrades required to bring a property to current standards, and it commonly becomes a negotiated closing condition — who pays for what, and on what timeline, gets worked out as part of the deal terms, not left as a surprise after you own it.

The property has a bar — does that add a separate approval process?

Yes. Where a licensed lounge or restaurant is part of the property, an AGCO licence transfer or interim authorization runs on its own track alongside the brand and real estate approvals, and it needs its own timeline built into your closing date.

Do I need hotel management experience to get Wyndham's approval?

Franchisors in this sector typically look for financial capability and relevant operating or management experience, though the specific bar varies by brand and property size. That review happens through Wyndham's own approval process, separate from our legal work on title, financing, and the agreement itself.

What happens if the PIP renovations aren't finished by closing?

That's addressed in the purchase agreement — a holdback, an escrow, or a post-closing completion deadline are all common ways to bridge the gap so closing doesn't wait on construction, though the specific mechanism depends on your deal.

Related

Where we close franchise resale deals

Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Days Inn or its franchisor.

Ready to begin?

Tell us about your Days Inn resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.

Prefer to talk first? Call 1-844-900-1070 — it’s free.
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