Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will be paid out month to month for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other types of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of here hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the read more arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation supplier, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying click here the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be accountable for payment of hire towards the lessor within the date 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 nsfas allowances 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 nsfas university allowances 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.
From: SAnews.gov.za