Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 arrives just after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid month-to-month into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment to your lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of lease, though awaiting more info payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse versus the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The website NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry get more info on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be liable for payment of lease towards the lessor within the 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 here be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of nsfas academic pathways 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