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 right after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will likely be paid regular to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other forms of payment on the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, such as payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement 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 on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of rent on the lessor within 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 click here student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment nsfas tvet 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 read more any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the get more info 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 read more for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za