The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will be paid out regular on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment to the lessor, or any other person nsfas in reference to this arrangement, such here as payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't 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 companies’ participation nsfas student document submission deadline on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that nsfas eligibility criteria in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of hire for the lessor with the date of remaining 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 here 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