The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease are going to be paid every month to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms 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 almost every other kinds of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to website this agreement, together with payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the website NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that website where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of lease into the lessor in the 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 the accommodation provider.
"Where the nsfas document submission deadline student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not click here 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 of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za