Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid monthly into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other forms of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ 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, here the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS read more spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of lease on the lessor with the date of getting check here 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 nsfas allowances 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 more info 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