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 following NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent are going to be paid out monthly for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other varieties of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, like payment of lease, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the 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 states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a read more consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation supplier, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that where by the NSFAS-funded student get more info chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be accountable for nsfas login payment of lease towards the lessor within the day 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 read more 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 more info accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za