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 soon after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid out every month to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment for the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions click here and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of nsfas tvet any arrear check here rent into the accommodation service provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment of rent to your lessor from your day of becoming defunded.
"Where the click here 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 website 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