Accommodation vendors urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get use of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will likely be paid out monthly into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment into the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for read more private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, nsfas application delay the student won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be answerable for payment of lease to the lessor from the date of becoming 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 nsfas student document submission deadline provider.
"Where get more info 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 here 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