The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will likely be paid monthly into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with 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 have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment to your lessor, or almost every other person in reference get more info to this agreement, like payment of lease, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent nsfas university allowances by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on nsfas document submission deadline the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation provider, up right up until the day of being check here defunded."
NSFAS stated that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be liable for payment of rent towards the lessor from your date of becoming 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 here 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