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 not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid every month into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, like payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee check here for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms 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 choice by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment website of any arrear rent to your accommodation nsfas allowances supplier, up until the day of get more info being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be accountable for payment of hire into the lessor with the day of currently being 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 the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be get more info dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za