The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease are going to be paid monthly to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment into the lessor, or some other person in reference to this nsfas student document submission deadline arrangement, which includes payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS click here terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described get more info that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student will be accountable for payment of rent into the lessor from the day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a here 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 nsfas allowances 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