Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS received stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent are going to be paid monthly into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment to your lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, like payment of lease, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default while 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 resulting from an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent nsfas academic pathways to your here accommodation company, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of rent to your lessor from your day of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS check here 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 get more info 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 nsfas student document submission deadline determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za