The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will probably be paid out month-to-month towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, including payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment website of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation company, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of hire for the lessor through the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS check here 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 nsfas allowances 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 get more info 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 in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure website determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za