Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop 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 immediately after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent are going to be paid out month-to-month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from 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 require or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to nsfas document submission deadline this arrangement, such as payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation company, up right until the nsfas application delay day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by website NSFAS, the student will be answerable for payment of hire towards the lessor with the date 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 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 click here such rental payments will be for click here 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