Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to end 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 comes after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid monthly into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment into the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, together with payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse versus the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't nsfas student document submission deadline be accountable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, read more notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student will be responsible for payment of hire into the lessor from 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 be liable for payment of all get more info 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 check here the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties more info 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