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 acquired stories about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies on the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid month-to-month to 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 vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment to your lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee more info for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: get more info "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation supplier, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will get more info be responsible for payment of rent for the lessor in the day of becoming 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 read more 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 check here accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za