Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies 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 following NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will likely be paid regular into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in 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 need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment on the lessor, or some other person in connection with click here this arrangement, like payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent click here by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be liable website for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student will be chargeable for payment of hire to the lessor from your 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 website 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 nsfas eligibility criteria 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