Terms of Service

Last updated: July 2026

1. What TandPay Is

TandPay is an escrow service for social commerce in Rwanda. When a buyer pays for something, TandPay holds the money until the buyer confirms they received the goods. Only then does the seller get paid. This protects both sides: buyers don't lose money to scammers, and sellers get paid for legitimate deliveries.

TandPay is not a bank, a marketplace, or a payment processor. We are an escrow intermediary that uses MTN Mobile Money to move funds.

Regulatory status: TandPay has applied to the National Bank of Rwanda Regulatory Sandbox and is awaiting the written decision. NCSA data-controller registration is also pending and will proceed as required following the sandbox decision. TandPay will not represent itself as admitted, licensed, or NCSA-registered before those steps are formally completed.

2. Who Can Use TandPay

Sellers must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have a valid Rwandan phone number (+250)
• Provide their real name and business name
• Have an active MTN Mobile Money account for receiving payments
• Comply with all applicable Rwandan commercial laws

Buyers do not need an account. They are identified by their phone number when making a payment.

3. How a Transaction Works

Every TandPay transaction follows this lifecycle:

1. Seller creates an order with a title, line items, and total price (between 500 RWF and 5,000,000 RWF). The seller shares the order link with the buyer. Checkout links created from a public storefront expire after 30 minutes if payment is not started.
2. Buyer pays via MTN Mobile Money. The buyer enters their MoMo number and receives a payment prompt on their phone. They have 15 minutesto complete the payment. If they don't, the transaction expires and no money is collected.
3. Funds are held in escrow. Once payment is confirmed, the money is held by TandPay. The buyer receives a 6-digit delivery code via SMS. The seller has 48 hours to deliver the goods. If the seller does not deliver within 48 hours, the escrow expires and the buyer is automatically refunded.
4. Buyer confirms delivery. When the item reaches the buyer, they must inspect it before entering the 6-digit delivery code on TandPay.
5. Payment release starts.Entering the delivery code is the buyer's final confirmation that physical handover occurred and authorization for TandPay to start payment to the seller. There is no general post-code inspection window during the initial pilot.
6. Seller receives payment.TandPay deducts the platform fee and sends the remainder to the seller's registered MoMo number.

4. Platform Fees

TandPay charges a 5% total platform fee, split equally between buyer and seller:

• 2.5% Buyer Protection Fee — added on top of the order amount. The buyer pays this to fund the escrow protection.
• 2.5% Seller Service Fee — deducted from the order amount before disbursement. The seller pays this for the platform service.

Example:A seller lists an item for 10,000 RWF. The buyer pays 10,250 RWF (10,000 + 250 RWF buyer protection). After delivery is confirmed, TandPay deducts 250 RWF seller service fee and sends 9,750 RWF to the seller. TandPay's total revenue is 500 RWF.

Fee rates may be adjusted with advance notice. The applicable fee is always displayed to both parties before a transaction is initiated.

5. Problems and Exceptional Reviews

TandPay's initial service protects against non-delivery. It is not a general product-quality guarantee. Buyers must inspect goods before entering the delivery code.

5.1 Before Delivery Confirmation

• If delivery does not occur within 48 hours, TandPay starts an automatic refund of the order amount.
• If the item is visibly wrong or damaged at handover, do not enter the delivery code. Contact the seller and TandPay support.
• Do not share or enter the code before inspection and handover.

5.2 Exceptional Support Review

• Suspected fraud, coercion, duplicate charges, payment errors, or another serious exceptional case may be reviewed by TandPay support.
• Support may request payment records, messages, photographs, or other evidence from either party.
• A review does not guarantee that a completed provider payment can be reversed.

5.3 Possible Outcomes

An exceptional review may result in:

• No change where delivery was finally authorized and the payment was correctly processed.
• A refund, correction, account restriction, or referral to the payment provider or relevant authority where appropriate and technically possible.

5.4 Finality

A completed provider payment may be technically irreversible. If you believe TandPay made an operational error, contact support promptly so the transaction and provider records can be reviewed.

6. Delivery Code

The 6-digit delivery code is a critical security feature. It proves that goods changed hands between the correct parties.

• The buyer receives the code via SMS after payment is confirmed.
• The buyer should never share the code by message or phone. They should enter it on TandPay only after inspecting and physically receiving the goods.
• If someone enters the wrong code 5 times, entry is locked for 15 minutes to prevent brute-force guessing.
• If a buyer shares their delivery code before receiving goods, TandPay cannot reverse the resulting payment release.

7. Automatic Timeouts

TandPay enforces strict timeouts to prevent funds from being held indefinitely:

8. Refund Policy

• Payment not completed: If the buyer does not complete the MoMo payment within 15 minutes, no money is collected and no refund is needed.
• Seller fails to deliver:If the seller does not deliver within 48 hours, TandPay refunds the order amount to the buyer's MoMo number. The buyer protection fee is not refunded once provider processing and protection services have begun, except where required by law or caused by TandPay's error.
• Exceptional review: Any refund depends on the facts, provider status, applicable law, and whether reversal remains technically possible.
• After payment is released: Once payment has been released to the seller after delivery-code authorization, it normally cannot be reversed through TandPay.

9. Seller Obligations

As a seller on TandPay, you agree to:

• Accurately describe your products and services with correct prices
• Deliver goods within 48 hours of payment confirmation
• Respond to disputes promptly and provide evidence when requested
• Keep your MoMo payment details current and accurate
• Not use TandPay for any prohibited activities (see below)

10. Prohibited Activities

You may not use TandPay for:

• Illegal goods or services under Rwandan law
• Counterfeit or stolen goods
• Fraud, scams, or deceptive practices
• Money laundering or terrorist financing
• Weapons, drugs, or controlled substances
• Any transaction where both buyer and seller are the same person
• Artificially inflating sales, reviews, or trust scores

11. Account Suspension and Termination

TandPay may suspend or terminate a seller account if the seller:

• Violates these terms
• Engages in fraudulent activity
• Receives repeated disputes (3 or more unresolved disputes)
• Fails identity verification (KYC)
• Is inactive for more than 12 months

If an account is suspended, any pending escrow funds will be handled according to the normal transaction lifecycle. Escrowed funds are never forfeited to TandPay.

12. Limitation of Liability

TandPay is an escrow intermediary. We are notresponsible for:

• The quality, safety, legality, or authenticity of goods sold
• The accuracy of product descriptions or seller claims
• Losses caused by sharing your delivery code prematurely
• MTN Mobile Money service outages or delays
• Losses exceeding the transaction amount in question

Our liability is limited to the proper handling of escrowed funds in accordance with these terms.

13. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Rwanda. Any disputes arising from the use of TandPay that cannot be resolved through our dispute resolution process shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of Kigali, Rwanda.

14. Changes to These Terms

TandPay may update these terms. We will notify all registered sellers via SMS at least 7 days before significant changes take effect. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance.

15. Contact

For questions about these terms, contact us at support@tandpay.com or call/ WhatsApp 0787 609 066.