Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university 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 comes following NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid regular monthly towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment on the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, which includes payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the website student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation read more supplier, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding more info becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of lease towards the lessor from the day of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due more info to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment get more info 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 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