The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid monthly for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment on the lessor, or any other person in reference to nsfas login this agreement, such as payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default website from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on nsfas tvet the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards nsfas allowances the accommodation company, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student will be accountable for payment of lease to your lessor from your date of currently being 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 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 accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose. website
From: SAnews.gov.za