Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers 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 arrives following NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent might be paid out regular monthly to the accommodation supplier (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 demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of hire, read more while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ website participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation service provider, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming read more defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be responsible for payment of rent to your lessor from the day 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 that any dispute arising between the parties regarding here the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with here in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za