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

This comes soon after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the authorised private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent might be paid regular monthly to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment towards the lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the nsfas document submission deadline student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."

NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding check here remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of rent on the lessor from the date of currently 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 nsfas document submission deadline 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 with any dispute resolution check here procedure determined by NSFAS for more info this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za