The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.

This arrives immediately after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the approved private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will likely be paid out monthly to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment on the lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.

The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation check here portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible nsfas document submission deadline for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up right until the date of being defunded."

NSFAS discussed that where by the website NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of rent for the lessor with the day here of being defunded.

"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.

"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval get more info of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.

The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za