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 soon after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will probably be paid month-to-month to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment for the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, together with payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default while in nsfas student document submission deadline the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also website states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable here for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of hire on the lessor from your day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian nsfas eligibility criteria 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 website 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