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

This comes immediately after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will probably be paid out every month on the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment to your lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."

NSFAS discussed that where by the 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 on the lessor within the day of becoming defunded.

"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the more info 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 nsfas eligibility criteria account," the scheme said.

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