The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid every month on the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions 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 sorts of payment to your lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, such as payment of lease, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased nsfas academic pathways premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be accountable for payment of lease into the lessor from your day of being 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 here new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments here 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 get more info with in accordance with any dispute here resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za