Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers 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 acquired stories about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will be paid month-to-month to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment on the lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, like payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be liable for payment more info of any arrear rent to the accommodation check here provider, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student are check here going to be answerable for payment of hire to your lessor within the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by here 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 here 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