Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop 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 soon after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid out month to month to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other types of payment for the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by website NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: nsfas status check "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where here by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be responsible for payment of lease to the lessor from the day of currently being defunded.
"Where more info the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a website 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 for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za