Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to end 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 been given reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease is going to be paid out month to month to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of 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 involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment to your lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, such as payment of lease, read more even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default inside the payment get more info of rent by NSFAS," the agreement 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 due to an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation supplier, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be responsible for payment of hire for the lessor within the day of being defunded.
"Where the student nsfas academic pathways is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, nsfas document submission deadline 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 may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the check here 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