Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university 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 vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will probably be paid out regular monthly to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment to the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, together with payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement 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 on account get more info of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation company, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be chargeable for payment of hire towards the lessor from the day of getting 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 more info 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 get more info 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 click here accordance with click here any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za