Accommodation vendors urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers in the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid out month-to-month on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other kinds of payment to your lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be answerable for payment nsfas document submission deadline of rent 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 will here 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 nsfas allowances any dispute arising between the parties regarding the more info interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS nsfas for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za