Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to end 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 comes just after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent are going to be paid out regular monthly towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in 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 call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment for the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, check here the scholar will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of hire nsfas eligibility criteria on the lessor in the date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by get more info 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 read more 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 more info by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za