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 been given experiences about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out regular monthly towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment towards the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement 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 selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of here being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student nsfas eligibility criteria is going to be answerable for payment of hire towards the lessor through the day nsfas student document submission deadline of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately click here 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 nsfas student document submission deadline procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za