The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid every month towards the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal 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 some other forms of payment to your lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by check here NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student more info accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because nsfas application delay of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up till the date 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 click here student is going to be chargeable for payment of hire to the lessor from the day of staying 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 the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any more info 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 of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za