Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent are going to be paid regular monthly towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any check here recourse against the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the nsfas student document submission deadline NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of rent to the lessor in the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by nsfas academic pathways 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, 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 more info dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za