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 demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid every month into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment into the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, which includes payment of lease, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The nsfas eligibility criteria lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee 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 click here states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation service provider, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be liable for payment of hire to your lessor through the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the more info lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent nsfas application delay 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 nsfas student allowances 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: SAnews.gov.za