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

This comes after NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid out monthly into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other varieties of payment into the lessor, or every other person in connection with this agreement, such as payment of lease, whilst here awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.

The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation provider, up till the day of being defunded."

NSFAS explained that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the nsfas tvet leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be accountable get more info for payment of rent towards 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, check here 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 regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any nsfas login dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za