Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers 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 arrives immediately after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid out monthly into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment towards the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this agreement, like payment of hire, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default while click here in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent for click here the accommodation service provider, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased more info premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student will be liable for payment of hire into the lessor within the click here day of currently 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 nsfas eligibility criteria 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