Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to end 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 immediately after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid out every month into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment for the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, such as payment click here of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee here for any default while 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 decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation company, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where by the website NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of hire for the lessor in the day 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 read more for payment of all rent due to the 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 website 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