Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to stop 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 arrives right after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies in the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease are going to be paid out month to month into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment website of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded get more info as a consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation supplier, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that in which the NSFAS-funded student nsfas allowances chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment of lease into the lessor with the date of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by nsfas document submission deadline 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 nsfas application delay 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