Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop 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 right after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid regular into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation read more providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be read more answerable for read more payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the read more leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be accountable for payment of hire on the lessor through the date of being 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 click here 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