Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will probably be paid out month-to-month on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other types of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, such as payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse versus the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS get more info conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student won't be answerable for nsfas eligibility criteria payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of hire for the lessor from your day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation click here 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 website 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 here procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za