The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent are going to be paid regular into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment to your lessor, or any other person in reference to this nsfas student document submission deadline agreement, here which includes payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence get more info of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be chargeable for payment of rent for the lessor through nsfas status check the day of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the website lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must 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 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