The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will likely be paid regular monthly on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any 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 providers’ nsfas application delay participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student will be chargeable for payment of hire towards the lessor from your nsfas eligibility criteria date of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian read more 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 click here 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 nsfas eligibility criteria 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