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 to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies on the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease are going to be paid out every month into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with 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 almost every other kinds of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation company, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of hire to check here your lessor through the date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS nsfas university allowances 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 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, more info 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 click here NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za