Accommodation vendors urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to halt 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 soon after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will likely be paid out month to month to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from 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 need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other kinds of payment to your lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, together with payment of lease, read more when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up right nsfas document submission deadline until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of lease for the lessor from your day of becoming 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 liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without more info the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to read more 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 nsfas eligibility criteria the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za