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 providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid out month to month to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment into the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed nsfas status check will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation provider, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to more info carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be accountable for payment of lease to your lessor from the date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, get more info 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, website 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 check here any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za