Get Your Property NSFAS-Accredited — Three Ways To Do It

Why accreditation matters

NSFAS accreditation is the legal gateway to receiving NSFAS rental income. Without it, a landlord cannot receive payment — regardless of how many NSFAS-funded students are in occupation. Accreditation is administered by NSFAS and assessed against the minimum norms and standards for student housing published in the Government Gazette.

MSH offers three tiers of accreditation support, built for different landlord profiles — from the hands-on landlord who wants guidance but will do the work themselves, through to the investor who is remote, inexperienced, or converting a property for the first time and needs MSH to manage every element of the process. Choose the tier that fits how involved you want to be.

Compare the three tiers

All fees exclude VAT at 15%. The NSFAS physical inspection fee is payable directly by the landlord to NSFAS at all tiers and is not included above.

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Tier 1 — DIY Guided

R4,500 flat, all property sizes

Ideal for: experienced self-managing landlords, landlords who have been through accreditation before, or price-sensitive landlords with small properties who want to keep costs minimal.

What MSH provides

• The MSH NSFAS accreditation checklist, with practical guidance notes on what each item means and common failure reasons.
• Two virtual Q&A sessions of up to 1 hour each, used at any point in the process.
• A written feedback report on your completed documentation pack before you submit.

What you do

• Create your own landlord and property profile on the NSFAS portal.
• Compile all required documentation and submit the application directly to NSFAS.
• Arrange and attend the physical NSFAS inspection, and manage the 7-day grace period.
• Arrange and pay for all building works, compliance certificates, and furniture.

R4,500 flat across all property sizes — the MSH input is the same regardless of property size.

Tier 2 — Assisted

R8,500 / R12,500 / R18,500 by property size

Ideal for: landlords who understand what accreditation involves but do not want to spend their own time on it. The most commonly purchased tier.

What MSH provides

• A mandatory pre-inspection visit with a written recommendations report before any NSFAS submission.
• Portal profile creation, full documentation compilation, and formal submission to NSFAS.
• Two structured progress meetings — a pre-inspection debrief and a post-submission update.
• Inspection facilitation, with an MSH representative present at the NSFAS inspection.
• Active management of the 7-day grace period, including remediation evidence and grading follow-up.

What you do

• All building works, renovations, and structural repairs identified in the pre-inspection report.
• Procurement and payment of compliance certificates (electrical, fire, gas, plumbing).
• Furniture and appliance procurement, and payment of the NSFAS physical inspection fee.

Sized by property: R8,500 (small) | R12,500 (medium) | R18,500 (large), excl. VAT.

Tier 3 — Full Concierge

R28,000 / R45,000 / R70,000 — medium & large properties only

Ideal for: first-time converters, remote or overseas investors, landlords purchasing a property that needs full fit-out, or anyone who wants zero personal involvement in the process.

What MSH provides

• Everything in Tier 2, plus building works coordination: MSH sources at least two contractor quotes per remediation item, manages scheduling and quality oversight, at no markup.
• Furniture and appliance procurement to NSFAS standard, with room-by-room installation and a furnished property inventory delivered to you.
• Compliance certificate procurement — MSH arranges certified professionals for all required certificates.
• Unlimited meetings and check-ins, with a minimum weekly written progress update.
• A final handover report once NSFAS confirms accreditation in writing.

What you do

• Approve contractor quotes before work commences.
• Pay contractor, supplier, and compliance certificate invoices directly at cost.
• Pay the NSFAS physical inspection fee directly to NSFAS.
• Sign the MSH mandate agreement and provide the necessary property access.

Available for medium (20–99 students) and large (100+ students) properties only. R28,000 / R45,000 / R70,000 by size, excl. VAT.

Optional add-on: architectural layout review

If you are converting or developing a property, MSH can work directly with your architect to review plans and optimise your bed yield before construction begins — a flat fee of R8,500 (small) / R14,500 (medium) / R22,000 (large), including a first review and one revision round. Priced and delivered separately from the accreditation tiers above.

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Conditions

• All prices exclude VAT at 15%.
• Payment terms: 50% upon mandate signature. For Tiers 1 and 2, the balance is due on submission to NSFAS; for Tier 3, on confirmed accreditation. All invoices due within 14 days.
• The NSFAS physical inspection fee is payable directly by the landlord to NSFAS at all tiers, and is not included in MSH's service fee.
• MSH does not guarantee a specific accreditation outcome, grading level, or processing timeline. Grading is determined solely by NSFAS.
• Tier 3 is available for medium (20–99 students) and large (100+ students) properties only.
• In Tier 3, all contractor, supplier, and compliance certificate costs are paid directly by the landlord at cost. MSH applies no markup on any third-party purchases.
• Travel costs for properties outside MSH's standard operating regions (Cape Town, Potchefstroom, Port Elizabeth, Gauteng metro, Bloemfontein) are charged separately at cost.
• Existing MSH management clients: ongoing accreditation maintenance is included in the Core Services Fee. This guide applies to standalone accreditation clients and to initial accreditation of new properties.