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 to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will probably be paid out regular for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, together with payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be here chargeable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be liable for payment of rent for the lessor from your date of check here getting defunded.
"Where the student is click here 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 get more info 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 in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure nsfas university allowances determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za