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 not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out monthly to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default while in the payment of click here rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the click here student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the nsfas student allowances NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of lease on the lessor from the date of becoming 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 click here 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 read more 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