The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives soon after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will be paid out month-to-month to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the check here NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation supplier, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding read more becoming defunded by NSFAS, read more the student are going to be answerable for payment of lease into the lessor from the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian more info at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due click 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