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 to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent are going to be paid regular on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment into the lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, which includes payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default here in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms 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 won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be chargeable for payment of hire to your lessor from the day more info of currently being 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 check here liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the nsfas login student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any nsfas 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