Terms of Service

Last updated: February 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.

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.
2. Buyer pays via MTN Mobile Money. The buyer enters their MoMo number and receives a payment prompt on their phone. They have 15 minutes to 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 4-digit delivery code via SMS. The seller has 7 days to deliver the goods. If the seller does not deliver within 7 days, the escrow expires and the buyer is automatically refunded.
4. Buyer confirms delivery. When the buyer receives their goods, they give the 4-digit delivery code to the seller. The seller enters this code on TandPay to confirm delivery.
5. Inspection period begins. After delivery is confirmed, the buyer has 8 hours to inspect the goods. During this time the buyer may:
   • Release payment immediately if satisfied
   • Open a dispute if there is a problem
   • Do nothing — if 8 hours pass with no action, payment is automatically released to the seller
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 3% platform fee on each completed transaction. The fee is deducted from the payment before disbursement to the seller. The buyer pays the listed price; the seller receives the listed price minus the fee.

Example: A buyer pays 10,000 RWF. TandPay deducts 300 RWF (3%). The seller receives 9,700 RWF.

Fee rates may be adjusted with advance notice. The applicable fee is always displayed to both parties before a transaction is initiated. TandPay may offer different fee tiers based on transaction amount or seller volume.

5. Dispute Resolution

If a buyer is not satisfied with what they received, they may open a dispute. Here is exactly how it works:

5.1 When You Can Dispute

• A dispute can only be opened after the seller confirms delivery and before the 48-hour inspection period expires.
• You must provide a written reason of at least 10 characters explaining the problem.
• Only one dispute is allowed per transaction.

5.2 What Happens During a Dispute

• The funds remain in escrow. Neither the buyer nor the seller can access the money while a dispute is open.
• Both the buyer and seller can submit evidence (photos, messages, screenshots) — up to 10 files per dispute.
• Both parties can send messages in a dispute thread visible to both sides and to TandPay administrators.
• A TandPay administrator will review the dispute within the deadline period.

5.3 Resolution Outcomes

A dispute can be resolved in two ways:

• Release to seller — the administrator determines the seller fulfilled their obligation. The escrowed funds (minus the platform fee) are released to the seller.
• Refund to buyer — the administrator determines the buyer's complaint is valid. The full payment amount is refunded to the buyer's MoMo number.

5.4 Dispute Deadline

Disputes have a 72-hour resolution deadline. If no administrator resolves the dispute within 24 hours, it is automatically resolved in favor of the seller (funds released to seller). This prevents funds from being locked indefinitely.

5.5 Finality

All dispute resolutions by TandPay administrators are final. Once a dispute is resolved, the decision cannot be reversed through the Platform. If you believe a resolution was made in error, contact support within 7 days.

6. Delivery Code

The 4-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 only share this code with the seller after 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 7 days, the buyer receives a full refund of the order amount to their MoMo number.
• Dispute resolved in buyer's favor: The buyer receives a full refund of the order amount.
• After payment is released: Once payment has been released to the seller (whether by buyer action, auto-release after inspection, or dispute resolution), it 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 7 days 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.rw.