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 soon after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get use of 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 private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will be paid out every month to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment to the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, together with payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be responsible click here for payment of any arrear rent to nsfas tvet the accommodation company, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of rent for the lessor with the day of being check here defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a click here 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 nsfas application delay 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