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 right after NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out regular for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation nsfas eligibility criteria portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination nsfas university allowances by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be liable for payment of rent into the lessor nsfas allowances within 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 read more 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 check here resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za