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

This comes following NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation providers who demand 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 providers from the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.

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

"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other types of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this agreement, such as payment of hire, even though awaiting get more info payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for read more any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," click here the agreement 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 because of an incorrect decision here by NSFAS, the scholar will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up right up until the day of being defunded."

NSFAS described that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of lease on the lessor through the day of remaining 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 nsfas login 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 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