Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 arrives following NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid month to month to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other forms of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, together with payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS more info spelled out that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of lease into the lessor within the date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the check here lessee/guardian at get more info 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 nsfas academic pathways arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation nsfas student allowances of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za