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 just after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the accredited private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid monthly on the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not need 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 connection with this arrangement, such as payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default while in the payment of get more info rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.

The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment nsfas eligibility criteria of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."

NSFAS explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student more info 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 from your day of staying defunded.

"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation more info 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, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such nsfas academic pathways 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