The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.

This arrives right after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the accepted private accommodation.

Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.

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

"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment on the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of hire, though click here awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.

The NSFAS conditions and terms for nsfas university allowances private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation service provider, up until the day of being defunded."

NSFAS spelled out that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of rent into the lessor with the day of becoming defunded.

"Where the student more info 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 nsfas student document submission deadline of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS here for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za