Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent might be paid out month-to-month for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the 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 call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment for the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up right up until the click here day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of lease on the lessor with the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student read more must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, read more accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, more info and any such rental payments will be for the student nsfas eligibility criteria 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