Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop 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 soon after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will likely be paid regular into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ 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 forms of payment for the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, like payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default while in the payment more info of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation more info company, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, website notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be answerable for payment of lease on the lessor with the date of getting 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 read more be for the student own nsfas university allowances 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