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 to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies on the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid out regular towards 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 require or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: click here "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded read more by NSFAS, the student will be chargeable for payment of rent into the lessor through the date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by nsfas university allowances the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent here 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," 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 get more info any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za