Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers from the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out monthly into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other varieties of payment to the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, including payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the click here agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses website to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment check here of rent on the lessor within the day of 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 here dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute more info resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za