Accommodation suppliers urged to stop 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 immediately after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will likely be paid regular monthly towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your 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 need or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other varieties of payment towards the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, which includes payment of lease, although click here awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have get more info any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ 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 scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, nsfas status check notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of rent into the lessor from the day of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any click here 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, more info 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