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 immediately after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid out month-to-month towards the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment on the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, which includes payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, read more up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses here to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be chargeable for payment of hire on the lessor from 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 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 click here approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not 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 accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by nsfas login NSFAS website for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za