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

This arrives soon after NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the permitted private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease is going to be paid month to month towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, including payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation here providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up right until the day of nsfas application delay being defunded."

NSFAS explained that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be responsible for payment of nsfas status check lease nsfas student allowances on the lessor from your date of 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 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 click here 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