The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease might be paid out regular into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment for the lessor, or any other person in reference to this agreement, which include more info payment of rent, nsfas student allowances though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for click here any default while in 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 states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation supplier, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying here the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be responsible for payment of lease for the lessor within the day of staying 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 click here 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 with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za