Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to end 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 after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid out monthly into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment for the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, such as payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed will not be answerable for click here payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to more info continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of rent on the lessor within the day of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, get more info 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 more info provider, and any such rental payments will nsfas 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 this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za