Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to stop 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 arrives right after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid out regular on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your 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 need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other kinds of payment into the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions read more for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of rent for the lessor in 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 nsfas university allowances leased property; nsfas 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 read more scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in more info accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za