Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop 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 right after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid month to month for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment to your lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of click here 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 determination by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment click here of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of hire to the lessor from your date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS here due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable nsfas student document submission deadline 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 check here 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