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 soon after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get usage of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid monthly into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment towards the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, such as payment of lease, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse versus the lessee for get more info any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be responsible for payment of rent to your lessor from your day of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any read more 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 website approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments here 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 nsfas document submission deadline by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za