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 following NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the approved private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.

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

"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment to your lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, such nsfas student document submission deadline as payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed will not be answerable nsfas login for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up until eventually the date of being defunded."

NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by nsfas login NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of hire for the lessor within the day of getting 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 check here any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be check here 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