Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent are going to be paid out regular to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment for the lessor, or another person read more in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS website conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is read more defunded resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any more info arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be responsible for payment of hire for the lessor within the date of staying 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 get 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 in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za