Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease is going to be paid month to month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment into the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent into the nsfas eligibility criteria accommodation supplier, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the nsfas eligibility criteria NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be responsible for payment of hire on the lessor from the date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded nsfas university allowances 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 prior approval of NSFAS, nsfas university allowances 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 check here any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za