Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will be paid monthly into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other forms of payment into the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement 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 because of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to read more your accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to nsfas application delay continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of rent to the lessor within the day of getting 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 here 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," website 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 nsfas login with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za