Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out month to month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other varieties of payment to the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, like payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement here reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right up until the get more info day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of rent for the lessor in the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must get more info immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent click here 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 check here 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