Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives soon after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation providers who demand 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 providers from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid out every month to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your 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 need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in reference click here to this agreement, which includes payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default from the payment of rent get more info by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on website the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be answerable for payment of rent for the lessor in the date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate nsfas academic pathways the get more info 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 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