Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university 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 immediately after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease is going to be paid out month to month into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment into the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of rent, even though awaiting payment nsfas university allowances from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by here NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the get more info scholar won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of hire on the lessor from your day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student nsfas application delay is defunded by 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 here 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