Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to stop 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 arrives following NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid month-to-month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other forms of payment on the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of lease, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: more info "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any click here arrear rent for the accommodation provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of rent website to your lessor from your day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS website due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian get more info 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 for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za