You have submitted your NQF4 Portfolio of Evidence (POE) for the FETC: Real Estate (SAQA 59097). What happens next, and when will you get your LA letter and certificate? This guide walks through every step and the time each usually takes.
Your part: training, portfolio and feedback
- You attend training, in person or through online videos.
- You receive your Portfolio of Evidence and study material.
- You complete the relevant sections of your POE.
- You submit your POE for assessment.
- Our assessors give you feedback.
- You may need to submit remediation work or outstanding admin documents.
- You receive final feedback, a competency letter, and instructions to sign your documents and complete a questionnaire.
Your file must include a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate (FFC). If yours has lapsed, renew it before you submit.
After that: moderation and the LA letter
Once you are found competent, your file leaves our hands:
- Internal moderation by Knowledge Quest, the accredited service provider.
- If that is successful, Knowledge Quest uploads your results to the Services SETA learner management system.
- External moderation: the Services SETA schedules a moderation visit to Knowledge Quest.
- When external moderation is successful, a Learner Achievement (LA) number is issued and you receive your LA letter.
- Your certificate follows later.
How long each step usually takes
Once your portfolio reaches our offices, we capture it, scan it and upload it. From then:
- Assessment and feedback: within 30 days of upload.
- Reassessment, if remediation is needed: within 30 days of receiving your remediation.
- Internal moderation: usually within 30 days of being found competent.
- External moderation: usually up to 90 days after internal moderation, but it can take up to 18 months.
- LA number: within a day of external moderation.
- LA letter: within 7 days of the LA number being issued.
- Certificate: as early as 30 days after the LA letter, or as long as a year.
These are typical times, not guarantees. External moderation in particular depends on the Services SETA's schedule, and that is outside our control and Knowledge Quest's.
What slows a file down
- Replying late to feedback or to requests for signatures.
- Documents that are incorrect or not certified.
- Sending documents by post or courier instead of the online upload link, which is quickest.
- Remediation that is late or does not cover what was asked.
- Operational problems at the Services SETA.
A neat, complete portfolio, quick replies and the upload link are the best ways to keep your file moving.
Your competency letter is not your qualification
The competency letter means the assessors are done. It is not enough to update your qualification status at the PPRA. You need the LA letter, which only comes after external moderation, or your certificate, each with your statement of results. Once you have them, follow our guide to updating your qualification status at the PPRA.
Trained through a training partner?
If you did your training through one of our training partners, the training partner is our client. We deal with you directly only during assessment and feedback. Your LA letter and certificate come from your training partner, so ask them about either. That extra step can add some time.
How we can help
If you have a year or more of experience, NQF4 RPL lets you prove what you already know, with study material, videos and a guided walk through the POE. Our NQF4 extra classes take RPL candidates through the unit standards and the portfolio questions step by step.
A seasoned real estate principal with 30+ years of experience, passionate about helping others grow and succeed in the real estate industry.
