Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives soon after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will be paid out monthly to your 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 another sorts of payment into the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, like payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that wherever the NSFAS-funded student check here chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of hire to the lessor from the date of currently being 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; check here and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation check here 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 website interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose. more info
From: SAnews.gov.za