Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will likely be paid out month to month on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other types of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards website the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be liable for payment of lease to the lessor through the day of website getting 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 click 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 check here of the agreement, must be read more dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za