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

This arrives immediately after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the approved private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid month-to-month into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of 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 involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment on the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, website like payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS conditions and terms for private check here accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up till the day of being defunded."

NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded nsfas application delay by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of rent on the lessor from the day of remaining 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, read more 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 emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding nsfas allowances 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