The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get usage of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid out every month to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ 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 every other forms of payment to your lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in check here opposition to the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student website is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be liable for payment of hire to the lessor from your day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at check here 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 here accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: here SAnews.gov.za