Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university 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 soon after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid out month-to-month towards the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve 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, which includes payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the read more scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where by the NSFAS-funded student nsfas allowances chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be accountable for payment of lease for the lessor from the day of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS 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 here 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 nsfas status check implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution read more procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za