Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to end 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 arrives just after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will probably be paid out monthly to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other types of payment to your lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, together with payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and read more conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation supplier, up right up until here the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of rent on the lessor through get more info the day 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 payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior check here 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 read more with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za