The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid out regular into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment for the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee click here for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation provider, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to here continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of rent to your lessor from the date of getting 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 read more rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the check here 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 here 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