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

This comes following NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent are going to be paid month to month to 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 companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other forms of payment to your lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, together with payment of nsfas login rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.

The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where nsfas tvet the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up until the day of being defunded."

NSFAS discussed that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to website carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of rent to your lessor within 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 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 more info 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 more info by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za