Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid out every month towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment towards the lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, together with payment of rent, even though here awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default inside 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 due to an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up right up until the date of nsfas allowances being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of lease for the lessor in the day of staying 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 here 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 nsfas academic pathways implementation of the agreement, must be dealt read more with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za