Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to end 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 arrives after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid month to month to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other sorts of payment to your lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, like payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect decision by here NSFAS, the coed will check here not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that in which get more info the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of hire on the lessor from the date of nsfas academic pathways staying 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 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 accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: nsfas login SAnews.gov.za