The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease is going to be paid out regular monthly to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment into the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the click here lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on nsfas allowances the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry website on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be answerable for payment of lease to your lessor within the date of getting 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 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 more info for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or click here 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