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 right after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation providers 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 providers on the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid regular monthly to the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other kinds of payment for the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of hire, while awaiting payment from read more NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the read more NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation website supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of rent on the lessor within the day of being 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 website 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 click here determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za