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 soon after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid out every month into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, such as payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions here for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence click here of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of lease for the lessor through the date of becoming 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 more info NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not website 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, click here must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za