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 following NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will probably be paid out regular monthly for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation nsfas allowances on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be responsible for payment of hire towards the lessor with the date of check here currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must more info 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 nsfas document submission deadline elect not to pay any nsfas application delay 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