Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies in the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out every month to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the 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 demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment on the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by 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 as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be nsfas allowances accountable for payment of any arrear read more rent to your accommodation company, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be chargeable for payment of lease into the lessor through the date of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student website must immediately vacate the 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 read more 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 read more this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za