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 just after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation companies 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 vendors from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid monthly towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private 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 varieties of payment to the lessor, or any other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS nsfas conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed here will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses here to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be accountable for payment of rent to your lessor from your date of being 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 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 here dealt here with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za