Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop 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 arrives soon after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent might be paid out month to month on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, which read more include payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded click here student is get more info defunded as a consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation provider, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased get more info premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be accountable for payment of lease into the lessor in the date of staying 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 get more info 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 determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za