The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent might be paid out regular monthly into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other varieties of payment into the lessor, or another person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have nsfas status check any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that wherever the NSFAS-funded website student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded nsfas status check by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of hire for the lessor from the date of staying 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 check here 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 nsfas agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za