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 to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will be paid out every month to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other types of payment for the lessor, or some other person in connection with this check here agreement, which includes payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by here NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation provider, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of hire towards the lessor with the day of becoming 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 more info 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 here any nsfas dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za