Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 immediately after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent might be paid out month-to-month towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in 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 call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other sorts of payment to the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards 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 due to an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment more info of any arrear rent for the accommodation company, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased get more info premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of lease to the lessor from your day of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at check here 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 get more info 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 get more info determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za