The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will likely be paid month-to-month into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment into the lessor, or every other person in reference nsfas document submission deadline to this agreement, together with payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ 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 answerable for payment of here any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, more info notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be accountable 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 nsfas allowances due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, here 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 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