Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid every month towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment to your lessor, or another person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be chargeable for payment of here any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be accountable for payment of lease to your lessor from your day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS website due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at nsfas status check any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due read more to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect nsfas university allowances 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 accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za