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 following NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will probably be paid out month-to-month towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment to your lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, together with payment of lease, though read more awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards 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 more info student is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation company, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying get more info the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment of lease into the lessor from your 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 more info 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 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 website 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