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 never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will likely be paid month to month towards the accommodation 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 need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded check here due to an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be responsible for payment of lease for the lessor through the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at nsfas application delay 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 read more approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will here 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 click here the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za