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 comes just after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid out every month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment to your lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, like payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and click here terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, check here up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by check here NSFAS, the student will be answerable for payment of rent into the lessor in the day of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to here a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; read more 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 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