Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
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 obtained stories about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid regular monthly to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment for the lessor, or every other person in connection with this agreement, which includes payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is read more defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation supplier, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by nsfas login NSFAS, here the student is going to be answerable for payment of rent towards the lessor within the day of staying 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 nsfas student allowances 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 get more info the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za