The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease might be paid regular monthly to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this more info arrangement, like payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. more info The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS read more explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased nsfas university allowances premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of lease to your lessor from 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 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 payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the here 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