FNB SmartBond -- EXTREMELY SLOW SERVICE, ABSOLUTELY NO FEEDBACK

I am assisting my housekeeper to buy a house. It is being funded in three ways - 1. I am funding approx one third, 2. a portion is being subsidized by the Department of Human Settlements and 3. R110,000 is being app**** for through an FNB SmartBond.

We started the application months ago after she got approved for the bond late 2018. On an ongoing basis we have kept getting asked for new requirements (including ridiculous things like having to get the life cover double the total cost of the house which worked out to 8x the bond amount, also having to insure it for more than its total value), however it is my understanding that we submitted the last requirement approximately 4 - 6 weeks ago. The bond attorney has advised that they now simply have to wait for FNB to give the authority to proceed and that there is no way of escalating this. We have tried to follow up through the call centre and have received no assistance other then being told to SMS the word "enquiry" to 41279 - that was last week, no response to date.

The Bond attorney is now advising us that if we don't start the procedure to lodge very soon, we will need to forfeit the house for her and start again...nearly 5 months later! He says that he has never experienced anything this slow...neither have I - with absolutely no feedback or indication as to why it is taking so long. This is appalling, and for a R110,000 bond, she may lose out on her very first home!!!!

PLEASE contact me and assist to get this sorted out - I don't know what to do and am so frustrated - not to mention all the ripple effect implications of this such as a very frustrated seller of the home, additional costs needing to provide accommodation for my housekeeper in the meantime (as we moved towns and have had to provide temporary accommodation for her and her family etc etc).