Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers in the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent are going to be paid month-to-month to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal 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 almost every other varieties of payment for the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, such as payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation nsfas student document submission deadline on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an read more incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed will click here not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation service provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to more info be answerable for payment of lease to your lessor with 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 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 nsfas for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za