Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease is going to be paid every month on the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other varieties of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any website default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded here student is defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the click here leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be accountable for payment of lease to the lessor with the day of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by click here 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 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: here SAnews.gov.za