The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease are going to be paid out regular to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other forms of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and nsfas application delay conditions for private accommodation companies’ here participation on nsfas login the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of lease into the lessor within the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due read more 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 for the student own account," the scheme get more info 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