Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent is going to be paid regular into the accommodation service provider (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 a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the more info lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal click here also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, more info the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of hire into the lessor from the day of becoming 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 nsfas student allowances provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS website 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