Applying for a government subsidy especially when it comes to housing is a big hassle, as most people don’t know how to apply for them.
A property consultancy company based in Strand is offering assistance to housing-subsidy applicants for free.
Gasthon Lewis of Advance Property Consultancy focuses on assisting people in applying for government subsidies. This is very important because most people do not know the process in applying for these subsidies. “We had some incidents where people applied for government subsidies and never got feedback on why their applications were rejected,” he said. “Some of these people have been waiting to get feedback from Human Settlements and have not heard anything back after their application.”
Advance Property Consultancy has partnered with various industry professionals like conveyancing attorneys, estate agents, architects and builders to assist potential beneficiaries. “So far we have had huge successes in administering the applications and most of the beneficiaries received their government subsidies.”
Lewis explained this subsidy-assistance service is offered for free to first-time home buyers that are applying for individual and Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP) subsidies.
“The [FLISP] housing subsidy’s applications, which open on Saturday 1 April, have the following qualifying criteria: the applicants’ monthly income must be R3 500 or less before deductions and they must be first-time home buyers who have been on a housing database for at least the past 10 years.”
The FLISP programme’s applicants housing income must be between R3 501 to R22 000 per month for people to apply. The subsidy amount depends on your income and ranges between R30 000 and R130 505. “This subsidy can be used to buy an existing house or apartment,” Lewis said. “It can also be used to buy a serviced residential site (ie plot with access to basic services).”
First-time home buyers who have approved home bonds have a timeline of six months, from when they applied for the bond to apply for the FLISP subsidy, and the amount that they qualify for will be paid into their bond. “We want to help people who are applying for the first time, as the process is really tricky, and if one misses one requirement then one’s entire application is on hold until that requirement is met. That is where we help and make it easier.”
For more information, or to apply for an individual or FLISP subsidy, call Gasthon Lewis a call on 078 535 8918; or Yvonne Davids on 084 850 6864.
