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 never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid month to month towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, while awaiting payment more info from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse get more info from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar nsfas university allowances are going to be chargeable for payment of rent towards the lessor from your 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 here must immediately vacate the leased website 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: SAnews.gov.za