Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid out regular monthly on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of 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 demand or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment to the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the nsfas allowances student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that here the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of hire into the lessor from the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any nsfas login stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable click here for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, nsfas tvet 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