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 demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent might be paid month to month to the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment to the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of hire, even though awaiting click here 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 vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear click here rent to get more info your accommodation provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be chargeable for payment of hire for the lessor with the day nsfas application delay 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; 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 more info 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