Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to end 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 immediately after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will be paid month to month to the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment for the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ 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 will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent to the more info accommodation service provider, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be responsible for payment of rent into the lessor with the date of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately more info 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 check here elect not to pay any rental check here 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 click here 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