The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid out regular monthly towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment towards the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the nsfas tvet arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms 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 will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of rent to the lessor with the date check here 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 click here any such rental nsfas tvet 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 more info dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za