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 after NSFAS acquired experiences 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 accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid month-to-month towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment to your lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, such as nsfas application delay payment of hire, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation service provider, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of lease on the lessor within website the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the website 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 get more info 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 more info accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za