Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt 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 arrives just after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between 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 out month-to-month to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other types of payment into the lessor, or another person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any read more recourse from the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment of rent to your lessor within the day 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 due to the check here accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation nsfas academic pathways providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental read more 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 more info with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za