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 soon after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the authorised private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid month to month towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, together with payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default during 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 check here that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect click here choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."

NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of hire to the lessor in the date of getting defunded.

"Where the click here student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any get more info 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 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 more info with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za