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 acquired reports about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get use of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers from the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease are going to be paid out regular into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ 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 forms of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, such as payment of rent, nsfas student allowances while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence more info of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation supplier, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going check here to be chargeable for payment of hire for the lessor with the day of staying 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 check here pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the nsfas status check 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