Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors 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 arrives soon after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies on the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will likely be paid regular monthly to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment into the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default from 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 nsfas student allowances that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation company, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, nsfas student allowances notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of lease for the lessor in 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 click here immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent here due to the nsfas document submission deadline 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 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