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 to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent might be paid out every month to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment on the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any get more info recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment website of hire on the lessor in 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 of all rent due to get more info 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 nsfas 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 click here 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