The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid monthly to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from click here NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement read more reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation supplier, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student will be liable for payment of rent on the lessor in the day of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded click here by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the click here 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 more info 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