Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid out month-to-month to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other forms of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The nsfas academic pathways lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms 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 decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be accountable for read more payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be liable for payment of rent towards 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 click here vacate the leased property; and will get more info 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 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 here with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za