Accommodation vendors 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 comes right after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid month to month towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private nsfas eligibility criteria accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as nsfas a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student will website be accountable for payment of rent towards the lessor from your date of becoming 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 be liable for payment of nsfas tvet all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where click here 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