The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to 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 Arrangement concerning the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will be paid regular to the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment into the lessor, or another person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of lease, whilst 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 get more info NSFAS conditions and terms 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 choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of hire towards 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 here be liable for payment of all rent due click here 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 nsfas student allowances 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. here
From: SAnews.gov.za