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 not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out regular monthly for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, such as payment of hire, although awaiting check here payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for website any default while in 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: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation service provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying read more the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be liable for payment of rent for the lessor with click here the day of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the nsfas student allowances 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 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