Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 just after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will be paid out regular monthly for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment towards the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, including payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The nsfas academic pathways lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement 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 as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation supplier, up right up until the day of being click here defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased website premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be liable for payment of hire into the lessor with the day of getting 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 of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute click here resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za