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 after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent might be paid month to month towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment to your lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, which includes payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any here recourse from the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement read more 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 because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation company, up right until the date more info of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student will be accountable for payment of rent for the lessor with the day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by here 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 nsfas eligibility criteria 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