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 not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS received stories about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease is going to be paid monthly towards the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on 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 call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other forms of payment into the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, which includes payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't more info any recourse from the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by here NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ 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 accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that read more exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be accountable for payment of hire on the lessor from your date of remaining 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 here 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 click here 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: SAnews.gov.za