The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.

This comes just after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the permitted private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out regular on the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your 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 need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment for the lessor, or any other person in reference to this nsfas student document submission deadline agreement, which include payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS conditions and terms for private read more accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation supplier, up until the day of being defunded."

NSFAS explained that the place the more info NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased read more premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be accountable for payment of lease into the lessor in the date of staying 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 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 here 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