Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation companies urged to halt 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 arrives right after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid regular monthly to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other types of payment into the lessor, or some other person in reference to this website agreement, such as payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent here by NSFAS," the agreement 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 as a result of an here incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being click here defunded."
NSFAS described that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be responsible for payment of hire into the lessor from 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 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 website 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