Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers from the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease might be paid every month to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment to the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," read more the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ 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 into the accommodation company, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for click here payment of hire to the lessor website from your date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by more info the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent nsfas academic pathways 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 dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za