Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 comes right after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid out regular to the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment to the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, together with payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default inside 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 here resulting website from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses here to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of hire into the lessor within the day of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the get more info 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 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 nsfas allowances 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