Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies 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 comes soon after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid regular monthly on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus 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 because of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, more info up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are website going to be liable for payment get more info of rent for the lessor with the day of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at nsfas status check 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 the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any here 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