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 soon after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies in the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will be paid month-to-month to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other varieties of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in connection with this more info agreement, which includes payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded read more student is defunded because of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that the place the NSFAS-funded student check here chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being check here defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment of rent into the lessor from your day of being nsfas student allowances 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 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