Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease might 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 terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default within the get more info payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation supplier, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going check here to be accountable for payment of lease to your lessor from the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any nsfas university allowances 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 get more info 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 with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose. more info
From: SAnews.gov.za