The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers in the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid regular to the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment to the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any website default during 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 decision by NSFAS, the coed will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation provider, up right click here until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding nsfas student allowances remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be answerable for payment of hire to the lessor from your 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 here vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the click here 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 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