The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out monthly to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment for the lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of rent, when awaiting read more payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement 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 as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to nsfas login be accountable for payment of lease into the lessor in the date of becoming 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 more info property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the read more 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 check here determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za