The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage 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 private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid out month-to-month into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other types of payment to your lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, including payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation provider, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of get more info lease on the lessor from your date 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 here 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 read more 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 read more dealt with in accordance with more info any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za