Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease is going to be paid regular on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. get more info The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default within website the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to nsfas allowances the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of rent on the lessor from your date 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 check here 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 the interpretation read more 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