Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop 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 comes immediately after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will likely be paid out month-to-month on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other sorts of payment to your lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this agreement, such as payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student nsfas allowances is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation supplier, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, website the scholar are going to be responsible for payment of lease into the lessor from your day of nsfas status check 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 click here 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 be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the read more 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