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

This arrives right after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get use of the approved private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will be paid out regular monthly to the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment to your lessor, or every other person in connection with this agreement, such as payment of hire, though awaiting website payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," here the agreement reads.

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

NSFAS described that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of lease into the lessor website from 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 read more the student own account," the scheme said.

The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between click here 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