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 to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid out month to month on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the 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 involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment for the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, such as payment of lease, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also read more states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right until the day of being check here defunded."
NSFAS explained that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be responsible for payment of lease on the lessor within the day of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, check here 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 click here pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be click here 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