Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
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 just after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get use of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid out every month to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment to your lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the 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 consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be check here chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of hire to your lessor within click here the day of being 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 check here be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval check here of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental nsfas academic pathways 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