Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid regular monthly to the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment into the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the read more lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by read more NSFAS, the student won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation provider, up until the day of being here defunded."
NSFAS stated that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be answerable for payment of rent for the lessor through the day 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 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 read more payments will be for the student click here 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