Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will probably be paid out regular towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment for the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states check here that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of rent for the lessor through the day of click here being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must here immediately vacate the leased property; and will click here be liable for payment of all rent due to nsfas student document submission deadline 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 any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za