Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid out every month into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other kinds of payment on the lessor, or every other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the here lessee for any default while in the check here 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 due to an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed won't be chargeable for nsfas university allowances payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, more info notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be responsible for payment of hire to your lessor from the date of staying 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 here 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