Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease are going to be paid regular monthly into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment on the lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, together with payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation read more on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation supplier, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying more info the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be responsible for payment more info of hire for the lessor within 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 website 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 here of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za