Accommodation vendors urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 arrives following NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will likely be paid every month to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment towards the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no 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 on account of nsfas student allowances an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be liable for payment of nsfas student allowances any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be accountable for payment of rent on the lessor within the date of staying defunded.
"Where nsfas tvet 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 click here 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 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 read more 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