The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will be paid monthly on the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ 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 varieties of payment for the lessor, or almost every other person in get more info reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement 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 due to an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the read more student will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation supplier, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be responsible for payment of rent to the lessor within the date of nsfas student document submission deadline becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must read more immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the nsfas academic pathways 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 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