Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 gained reports about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid out month-to-month for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment into the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default within the website payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private read more accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is get more info defunded because of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to check here continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of hire to the lessor from your date of getting nsfas academic pathways 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 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