Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers 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 comes following NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies on the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will likely be paid every month for the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other types of payment for the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the nsfas status check agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will check here not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation supplier, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of lease to your lessor from the date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is nsfas academic pathways 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 the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay get more info 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 read more resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za