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

This comes after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the accepted private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid out every month to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from 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 involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other sorts of payment into the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, such as payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. nsfas academic pathways The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement 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 due to an incorrect choice check here by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your nsfas eligibility criteria accommodation provider, up right until the nsfas status check date of being defunded."

NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of rent towards the lessor with the 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 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 read more 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 determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za