Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid out every month towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment for the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the check here lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up nsfas university allowances right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of lease to your lessor with the date of getting 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 read more of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the nsfas university allowances 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 here with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za