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

This arrives after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the approved private accommodation.

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

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid every month for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in 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 call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, such as payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student here is defunded because of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation company, up right up until the date of being defunded."

NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be chargeable for payment of check here rent on the lessor with the day of currently 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 more info without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental website 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 here determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za