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 never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will be paid monthly to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ 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 some other sorts of payment to your lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, which includes payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," nsfas student document submission deadline the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be answerable for payment of lease to the lessor within the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the here student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all here 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 read more of the check here agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za