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

This arrives immediately after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the accepted private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies in the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid month to month towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms 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 almost every other types of payment to the lessor, or almost every other nsfas document submission deadline person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.

The NSFAS read more conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect 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 check here chargeable for payment of hire into the lessor in the date of getting 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 nsfas student document submission deadline the student moves, accommodation providers without the nsfas student allowances 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 procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za