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 immediately after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the approved private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid regular monthly for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your 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 have to have or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment to the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, more info such as payment of lease, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.

The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal website also states nsfas tvet that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation read more company, up right until the date of being defunded."

NSFAS discussed that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of lease towards the lessor in the day 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 liable for payment of all rent nsfas document submission deadline 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 procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za