The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will be paid out regular monthly to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment on the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation website companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by nsfas NSFAS, the coed will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation provider, up nsfas student allowances until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be answerable for payment of rent towards the lessor from the day 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 website 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 nsfas academic pathways with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za