Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 comes right after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent are going to be paid every month for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment on the lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, like payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor website shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ here 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 student won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation company, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be accountable for payment of hire to your lessor with the date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian nsfas document submission deadline at any stage, the check here 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 here 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