Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to halt 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 immediately after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid out regular monthly to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your 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 need or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other types of payment to the lessor, or another person in website reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the 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 as a consequence website of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation company, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be liable for payment of hire into the lessor with the day of remaining 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 nsfas tvet 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 website arising between website 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