Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to end 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 right after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid every month for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from 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 demand or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment to your lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The more info NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses website to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of rent towards the lessor from your date 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 more info 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 here in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose. more info
From: SAnews.gov.za