Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 comes immediately after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will likely be paid month to month for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of website lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear read more rent on the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding nsfas allowances remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of hire for the lessor through the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the more info lessee/guardian nsfas academic pathways at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable 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: SAnews.gov.za