The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid out monthly into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, like payment of lease, although awaiting payment here from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default from 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 due to an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for click here payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation service provider, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be accountable for payment of hire towards the lessor in the date of remaining 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 nsfas university allowances 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 nsfas login 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 read more 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