Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid month-to-month to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment into the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of hire, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default within the payment of rent nsfas student document submission deadline by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation check here on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be accountable for payment of lease into the lessor from the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student here 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 more info 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 more info 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