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 never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid out monthly to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other kinds of payment for the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, like payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards 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 as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where by the NSFAS-funded nsfas eligibility criteria student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of rent for the lessor from the day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded nsfas status check by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be check here liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers more info 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 website 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