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

This arrives following NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the permitted private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease are going to be paid out monthly towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ 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 kinds of payment on the lessor, or every other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.

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

NSFAS defined that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, click here notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be responsible for payment of lease for the lessor from get more info your date of 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 here 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 more info 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 determined by click here NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za