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 never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease are going to be paid out month-to-month on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with 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 need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other kinds of payment to your lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against nsfas university allowances the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on click here the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of hire into the lessor from the day of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at read more 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 check here 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 click here 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