The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease are going to be paid out regular for the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other types of payment on the lessor, or every other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the nsfas lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also nsfas student allowances states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described here that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of rent into the lessor with the date of being defunded.
"Where more info 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 get more info 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