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 after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers in the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent might be paid every month on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment to the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no website 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 suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent nsfas university allowances for the accommodation provider, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment of lease to the lessor with the date 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 leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to nsfas status check the nsfas document submission deadline accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the get more info 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