Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid out every month to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private here accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded here student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be accountable for payment of lease into the lessor in the date nsfas university allowances of 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 click here the new accommodation provider, and any such nsfas university allowances 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