Is Applying for First Home Finance Free? The Answer, the Scam Red Flags, and Where to Report It
No. Applying for First Home Finance is free — at every step. The Department of Human Settlements’ own Info Booklet and provincial FAQ confirm it, and in August 2026 the department warned that anyone demanding an “application” or “registration” fee is running a scam. If you are asked to pay, walk away and report it.
Written 2026-10-09. Every claim on this page is dated and sourced — see Sources.
The scam in one line
Someone offers to “register” you for First Home Finance and asks for a fee. On 20 August 2026 the Department of Human Settlements (Gauteng) confirmed the real application costs nothing — the fee request is the scam (source: Gauteng DHS scam alert, reported by Jacaranda FM, 20 Aug 2026).
A free government programme — and people charging for it
Applying is free. That is not bond.co.za’s opinion; it is the department’s own position, on the record and dated.
First Home Finance (formerly FLISP) is a once-off government subsidy for qualifying first-time buyers. The application itself — registration, the eligibility check, the full submission — carries no fee. The Department of Human Settlements’ Info Booklet says so, and the KZN department’s FAQ answers the question in one line: “No. This is a free service offered by Government.”
Despite that, the department’s Gauteng office had to issue a public scam alert in August 2026 because fraudsters were demanding payment to “register” or “apply” on applicants’ behalf. A free programme being sold is exactly the moment this page exists for: so you can check the rule, recognise the red flags, and report it.
“No. This is a free service offered by Government.”
Six signs it’s a First Home Finance fee scam
Any one of these is reason to stop. More than one means walk away and report it.
An upfront “registration”, “application” or “admin” fee
The single clearest red flag. The Department of Human Settlements (Gauteng) warned on 20 August 2026 that scammers are demanding payment to “register” or “apply” on applicants’ behalf. The real application has no fee at any step.
A guaranteed subsidy amount or guaranteed approval
No one can guarantee a subsidy outcome. Eligibility is confirmed by the Department of Human Settlements and the NHFC after a full application — not by a WhatsApp promise before one.
Pressure to pay immediately or “lose your place”
Manufactured urgency — “pay today, the window closes” — is a pressure tactic, not a programme rule. Paying has never secured a place in any First Home Finance window.
Payment into a personal bank account
No legitimate step of a free government programme is paid into an individual’s account. Any request to EFT, send a voucher or deposit cash to a person is a scam.
“Fast-track” or “priority processing” for a fee
There is no paid lane. The NHFC processes full applications in the same queue, and the department has stated that partners caught charging applicants face suspension from the programme.
Someone contacts you first and claims to be “the department”
You start the application — on firsthomefinance.co.za, fhf.nhfc.co.za or through an NHFC-approved partner. Unsolicited calls or messages “processing your subsidy” for a fee are not the department.
What legitimate help looks like
Free at every step — and the partners who help you are not paid by you.
- The official channels are firsthomefinance.co.za and the NHFC portal at fhf.nhfc.co.za — registration, the eligibility check and the full application all happen there, at no cost.
- NHFC-approved subsidy origination partners are free to you as the applicant. They are accredited to help with First Home Finance applications and are not paid by applicants.
- The department has stated that an NHFC-approved partner found charging an applicant faces a minimum 12-month suspension from the programme — so a partner asking you for money is both a scam signal and grounds to report them.
- NCR-registered lenders and bond originators do not charge you to assess a bond application or to process the subsidy linked to it.
Suspension note: the 12-month suspension figure is what the department has stated; the primary DHS/NHFC publication carrying that specific sanction was not located when this page was verified (9 October 2026), so treat it as the department’s stated position rather than confirmed published policy.
Been asked to pay? Report it
Report the request to the Department of Human Settlements — and do not pay. Have the person or company’s name, what they asked you for, and any banking details ready.
Gauteng DHS scam line
010 085 2199
National DHS scam line
0800 146 873
If you have already paid, also report it to your bank immediately and open a case with the South African Police Service.
The window is closed — the free rule is not
When applications reopen, applying will still cost nothing.
The 2026/27 First Home Finance application window closed on 5 October 2026 at 17:00, and the NHFC has not yet announced dates for the next window. That does not change the rule this page is about: the programme is a free government service, and applying will be free whenever it reopens. It also means anyone collecting “application fees” right now, ahead of a window with no announced dates, cannot be processing a real application.
For the programme itself — income bands, subsidy amounts and what to prepare before the next window opens — see our First Home Finance guide.
Get your Subsidy & Bond Readiness Report
When the next window opens, you want the bond side ready. One check, one email: your subsidy eligibility snapshot, a realistic affordability range and the documents to have prepared. Estimates only — nothing here guarantees a subsidy or a loan.
Am I eligible for a first-home subsidy?
Enter your gross monthly household income and, optionally, the purchase price you have in mind. We will email you a personalised First-Time Buyer Subsidy & Bond Readiness Report.
Free for you: the bank that grants a home loan arranged through bond.co.za pays us a once-off commission when the bond registers — it is not added to your loan amount. How we make money.
First Home Finance fees and scams — straight answers
Is applying for First Home Finance free?
Yes — free, at every step. The Department of Human Settlements’ First Home Finance Info Booklet and the KZN department’s FAQ (“No. This is a free service offered by Government”) both confirm there is no application fee, and the department’s Gauteng office warned on 20 August 2026 that people demanding “registration” or “application” fees are running a scam.
Do I have to pay a bond originator to apply for First Home Finance?
No. NHFC-approved subsidy origination partners are free to the applicant, and the department has stated that a partner caught charging an applicant faces a minimum 12-month suspension from the programme. Banks and registered bond originators also do not charge applicants to assess a home loan or process the linked subsidy. If anyone asks you for money to submit your application, treat it as a scam and report it.
How do I report a First Home Finance scam?
Report it to the Department of Human Settlements: the Gauteng scam line is 010 085 2199, and the national DHS scam line is 0800 146 873. Report the person or company, what they asked you to pay, and any banking details they gave you — and do not pay them.
The application window is closed — can I still be scammed?
Yes, and the free-to-apply rule still applies. The 2026/27 window closed on 5 October 2026 at 17:00 and the next window’s dates have not been announced, but the programme is free whenever it reopens. Anyone collecting “fees” now, ahead of a window that has no announced dates, is not processing a real application.
What is the official First Home Finance website?
The public information site is firsthomefinance.co.za and the NHFC application portal is fhf.nhfc.co.za. Apply only through those sites or an NHFC-approved origination partner — never through a link sent to you with a payment request attached.
Are there any legitimate costs in the process at all?
Not for the subsidy application itself. If your First Home Finance subsidy is registered against a home loan, the bond and transfer do carry legitimate costs — bond registration, conveyancing and deeds office fees charged at transfer by attorneys. Those are separate, documented costs of buying property, not payments to apply for the subsidy, and no one should ask you for money before an application is even submitted.
Sources
- Department of Human Settlements — First Home Finance Info BookletStates that applying for the First Home Finance subsidy is free. Accessed 9 October 2026.
- KZN Department of Human Settlements — FAQ“No. This is a free service offered by Government” — the department’s direct answer on whether applying costs anything. Accessed 9 October 2026.
- Jacaranda FM — First Home Finance applications open: beware of scam targeting applicantsPublished 20 August 2026, reporting the Department of Human Settlements (Gauteng) scam warning, the “no cost” confirmation, and the 010 085 2199 reporting line.
- NHFC-approved origination partner notice (via Crescent Capital)NHFC-sourced partner notice, 6 September 2026: approved origination partners are free to the applicant, and charging applicants is grounds for suspension from the programme.
- First Home Finance — official application portalOfficial programme site; the 2026/27 application window closed 5 October 2026 at 17:00, with future windows to be announced.
Informational disclaimer
This guide is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. First Home Finance rules, window dates and partner accreditation are set by the South African Department of Human Settlements and the NHFC and are subject to change. Nothing on this page guarantees that you will qualify for a subsidy or a home loan. Confirm current rules directly with the department, firsthomefinance.co.za or an NHFC-approved partner before acting.
Claims verified and dated as at 2026-10-09. Next review: when the NHFC announces the next application window.
Related guides and tools
More in alternative routes
The most recently updated guides in this category.
How rent-to-own (instalment sale) contracts work in South Africa, the Deeds Office registration that protects you, the informal-market risks, and when a normal bond is the cheaper route.
Updated 01 Oct 20269 min read
How home equity release actually works in South Africa, who offers it today, the compounding risk to your estate, and the alternatives worth ruling out first.
Updated 30 Sept 20268 min read
How First Home Finance (formerly FLISP) works, who qualifies, and how the subsidy can reduce the bond you need.
Updated 23 Sept 20266 min read