Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 arrives after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid month-to-month to the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on 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 involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other varieties of payment for the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus here the lessee for any default inside 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 because of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that wherever the NSFAS-funded student check here chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be responsible for payment of lease for the lessor through the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the here 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 not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," nsfas allowances the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties nsfas student document submission deadline 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