Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 just after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid out month-to-month on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment on the lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, which includes more info payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that exactly where the NSFAS-funded nsfas student document submission deadline student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of lease into the lessor through 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 of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, read more 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 here 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 website with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za