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

This comes immediately after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the approved private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.

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

"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment for the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.

The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation provider, up right until the date of being defunded."

NSFAS defined that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to check here be liable for payment of lease to your lessor from your day of remaining defunded.

"Where the student is defunded nsfas 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 nsfas tvet 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 click here of the agreement, must be dealt with in nsfas academic pathways accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za