Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 comes soon after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid month-to-month towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment into the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The website lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the nsfas academic pathways NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation service provider, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently click here being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be accountable for payment of rent to the lessor in the date of remaining 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 here student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the website 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