Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop 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 arrives following NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid monthly into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment for the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default from 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 as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable here for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of hire to the lessor from your date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must more info immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation get more info 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 website dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS website for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za