GUEST HOUSES, B&BS AND LODGES

Star grading application, with the discount secured

The Department of Tourism pays 80 to 90 percent of a small establishment’s grading fee, but only if four documents are uploaded with the application, and only if the application is in the right category. We get the documents in order, including the tax clearance PIN and the BEE affidavit, lodge the application on the TGCSA site so the discount lands on the invoice, and send you the criteria for your star target before the assessor arrives.

R890our fee · TGCSA joining and discounted membership fees paid to the TGCSA on top · lodged within 5 working days of your documents

4 documentstax clearance, business registration, BEE affidavit and public liability insurance, for the discount

80 to 90%off the TGCSA fee under the Tourism Grading Support Programme

1 000 pointsthe assessor’s scale; we send the criteria for the stars you are aiming at

What actually goes wrong

The wrong categoryA four-room property applying as a B&B, or a self-catering cottage as guest accommodation, is assessed on the wrong criteria and scores badly.
One discount document missingThe TGCSA applies the discount only when all four are uploaded. Three out of four is the full fee.
No tax clearanceThe most common gap. A SARS compliance PIN needs the returns filed and the account settled first.
Surprises on assessment dayA shower over the bath, no separate entrance, no visible fire equipment, each of which is a minimum requirement at some star level and could have been fixed or motivated for dispensation in advance.

What you get for R890

The right categoryChosen against the TGCSA’s definitions from your rooms, services and set-up, with a note on why.
The four discount documentsThe SARS tax compliance PIN requested on your eFiling profile, the sworn BEE affidavit drafted in the prescribed wording for a business under R10 million, and your business registration and public liability schedule checked.
The online application completed and lodgedOn the TGCSA site, discount box ticked, documents uploaded, so the invoice arrives already discounted.
The criteria for your star targetThe minimum requirements and the scoring areas for the level you are aiming at, with the items to fix or to motivate for a grace period or dispensation before the visit.
Followed to the plaqueWe track the assessor booking, the quality assurance step and the committee decision, and diarise the 120-day renewal reminder.

How it works

1Order and answer the short formRooms, rates, services, the entity type, and whether you are a TOMSA member.
2We build the documents and the applicationTax PIN requested, affidavit drafted for signing, category chosen, application lodged within five working days.
3You pay the TGCSA’s discounted invoice and host the assessorWith our criteria sheet in hand. We follow it to the certificate and plaque.

Get me graded

Not sure this is the right one for you? Ask us first and you get a written answer within one business day.

What we will need from you

CIPC documents, the partnership agreement, the trust deed, or your ID for a sole proprietor
eFiling access or your tax practitioner’s details for the tax compliance PIN
Last financial year’s turnover and ownership for the BEE affidavit
The public liability insurance schedule
Number of rooms or units, average rate per person per night, and the services you offer

Frequently asked questions

What does the TGCSA charge on top?

A R295 joining fee on a new application plus the annual membership fee, which the TGCSA calculates from your category, number of rooms and average room rate. With the four discount documents uploaded the fee is cut by 80 percent, and by 90 percent if you are a TOMSA member. The TGCSA’s own example is five rooms at R750 a night paying R3 491 a year before the discount, so a few hundred rand after it. It is invoiced by and paid to the TGCSA, not to us.

Can you guarantee a star rating?

No. The rating is decided by an accredited assessor’s score out of 1 000 and the TGCSA’s approvals committee. What we do is put the application in the right category, secure the discount, and send you the criteria and minimum requirements for the star level you are aiming at so you can fix the small things before the visit.

Do I need a tax clearance and a BEE affidavit?

Only for the discount, and the discount is worth having. We request the SARS tax compliance PIN on your eFiling profile and prepare the sworn BEE affidavit for a business under R10 million turnover. You supply the CIPC documents or your ID and the public liability policy schedule.

How long does grading take?

We lodge within five working days of receiving your documents. The assessor then contacts you to book a date, and the recommendation goes through the provincial quality assurance specialist and the monthly approvals committee. Allow one to two months from lodging to the certificate and plaque.

Star grading guide→ Tourism businesses hub→ Food premises certificate→ Liquor licence→

We prepare and lodge the application under your written authority. The TGCSA and its assessors decide the grading, and the TGCSA’s fees are separate. Sources: the Tourism Act 3 of 2014; the TGCSA grading process, fee estimate and application terms; the Department of Tourism’s Tourism Grading Support Programme. This is information, not legal advice.