Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will likely be paid month to month towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment for the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, which includes payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default from the payment of here rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that nsfas allowances exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment here of hire into the lessor with the date of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a more info 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 nsfas student document submission deadline 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