Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to end 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 comes after NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent might be paid regular for the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment into the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, like payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and nsfas application delay conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where nsfas application delay the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation supplier, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying read more defunded by NSFAS, the student more info are going to be accountable for payment of rent into the lessor with 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 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 dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with click here in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za