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 immediately after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent are going to be paid month to month to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other kinds of payment for the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: read more "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, nsfas student document submission deadline the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of lease on the lessor from your date 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 click here any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such website rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding read more 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