The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out monthly into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment for the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, such as payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee nsfas eligibility criteria for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS read more terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the nsfas allowances NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation service provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student will be liable for payment of hire into the lessor in the date of being defunded.
"Where the student website 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 nsfas student document submission deadline student moves, accommodation providers without the prior 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 for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za