Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers 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 been given reports about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will likely be paid month-to-month on the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private 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 every other sorts of payment into the lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, like payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by nsfas application delay NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to more info continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of lease on the lessor from your date of getting defunded.
"Where more info the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at nsfas student allowances 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 website 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