Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies 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 comes right after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies in the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent is going to be paid regular monthly on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other types of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states click here that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent check here into the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are nsfas student allowances going to be liable for payment of rent on the lessor within the 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 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 more info of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure here determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za