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 never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will likely be paid month-to-month towards the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment on the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by here NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student website accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent click here for the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of rent for the lessor with the day of being 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 to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the more info 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 click here accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za