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 demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent might be paid month-to-month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with 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 call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, such as payment of lease, while awaiting payment more info from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the click here lessee for any default during 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 selection by NSFAS, the coed won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going click here to be answerable for payment of hire to the lessor from the day of here remaining 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 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 read more 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