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 soon after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid every month on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the 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 require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment towards the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, like payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any get more info default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't check here be accountable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation supplier, up till the date of here being defunded."
NSFAS defined that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of lease for the lessor from your date of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by more info 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 to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such read more 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