The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid month-to-month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any click here default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions nsfas document submission deadline for private accommodation vendors’ participation more info on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of rent into the lessor with the date of becoming 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 nsfas tvet 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 website accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za