Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to end 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 following NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid month to month on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment for the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment check here of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a nsfas application delay consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be liable for payment of lease to the lessor with the date of getting 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; click here and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the nsfas student document submission deadline 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 here 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