Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid every month to the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment for the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have check here no recourse versus the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the get more info student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student will be accountable for payment of lease for the lessor with the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the nsfas eligibility criteria 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 click here NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental 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 arising between the parties regarding more info 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