The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid monthly to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from 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 require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of lease, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is click here defunded because of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of hire to the lessor from the day of currently being 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 click here 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 nsfas eligibility criteria 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, more info must be dealt with in here accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za