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 following NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid regular on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the 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 allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment to the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of rent, although awaiting nsfas student allowances payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation service provider, up till the date check here of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of rent to the lessor from the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation nsfas student allowances by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be nsfas liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval nsfas login 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.
From: SAnews.gov.za