Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university 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 just after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid month to month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default within the payment of read more rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student will be accountable for payment of rent towards the lessor through here the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation here by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; more info and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, website 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