It is illegal for the recipient of a subsidy house (RDP), to sell the house before they have lived in it for a minimum period of eight (8) years. While the minimum occupancy period may be adjusted from time to time, the current limitation is 8 years and, within this period a beneficiary may only re-sell the property back to the Provincial Department of Human Settlements. This type of Voluntary sale occurs when a beneficiary, for whatever reasons, chooses not keep the subsidy house.