The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS gained stories 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 companies with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid out regular monthly on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment into the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, like payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for more info private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, read more notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student will be answerable for payment of rent on the lessor through the date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS more info 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 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 check here with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this more info purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za