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 just after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will probably be paid month to month on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment on the lessor, or any other person in reference to this read more arrangement, which includes payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for check here private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect click here selection by NSFAS, the coed won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation company, up till the day of website being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where check here the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be chargeable for payment of hire to the lessor in the date of getting 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 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