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 not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent are going to be paid out regular monthly for the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other varieties of payment to the lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, like payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default website during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, click here the scholar will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be accountable for payment of lease to your lessor in the date of currently being check here 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 implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: here SAnews.gov.za