The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will be paid out monthly to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other types of payment to the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal nsfas student document submission deadline also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the read more scholar is going to be accountable for payment of rent to the lessor in 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 read more leased property; and will be liable for payment of nsfas student allowances 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 nsfas status check 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