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

This arrives right after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the permitted private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.

The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease might be paid out regular monthly on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.

"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, such as payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS conditions and nsfas student document submission deadline terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment nsfas student document submission deadline of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."

NSFAS discussed that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of nsfas document submission deadline hire into the lessor from the day of being defunded.

"Where the nsfas document submission deadline 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 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 here in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za