Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid month to month into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment to your lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of hire, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," click here the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be click here responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, get more info the student will be responsible for payment of hire towards the lessor in the day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the get more info student must more info 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