Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will likely be paid regular into the accommodation 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 any other varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, like get more info payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default within the payment get more info of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding more info being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be accountable for payment of hire for the lessor in the date of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at nsfas student allowances 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," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation read more 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