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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 immediately after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get usage of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid regular into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ 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 types of payment towards the lessor, or any other person in reference to this agreement, including payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for nsfas login private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up here until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be responsible for payment of hire on the lessor in the date of remaining defunded.
"Where the read more 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 more info 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 get more info 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