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

This arrives just after NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the permitted private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will likely be paid out every month to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment on the lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, like payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS terms and conditions for click here private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."

NSFAS described that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the check here scholar will be responsible for payment of lease on the lessor from your day 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 click here 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 nsfas eligibility criteria 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 nsfas tvet resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za