Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to halt 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 comes immediately after NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will be paid out month-to-month towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment to the lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, such as payment of hire, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The website lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: more info "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that nsfas login exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student will be answerable for payment of lease nsfas allowances to the lessor through 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 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 student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the more info 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