Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid month to month on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment towards the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent more info to your accommodation service provider, up until finally the day 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 going to be answerable for payment of hire on the check here lessor in the date of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the check here 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 nsfas academic pathways 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 nsfas student document submission deadline this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za