Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get usage of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will likely be paid out month-to-month towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other types of payment into the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, together with payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS get more info conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also nsfas student allowances states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student click here is defunded due to an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation company, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of hire for the lessor through the day 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 all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect click here 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 nsfas eligibility criteria by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za