Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
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 after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid month to month into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of rent towards the lessor through 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 nsfas document submission deadline must immediately vacate the leased nsfas university allowances property; and will be liable for payment of all get more info 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 with in accordance with nsfas status check any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS nsfas for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za