Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies in the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will probably be paid out regular into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit 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 reference to this agreement, like payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also here states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, here up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, read more notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of lease to the lessor with the date of click here staying 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 read more 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