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 soon after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.

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

"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment for the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement 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 as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up right until the day of website being defunded."

NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of hire to your lessor within the day of currently being defunded.

"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by nsfas tvet 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 read more the accommodation provider.

"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, here NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for get more info 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 determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za