Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid month-to-month to the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on 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 demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment into the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to website the lessee for any default get more info 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 as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be accountable for payment of lease to your lessor from the date of becoming 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 here without 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 here be more info dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za