Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to stop 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 soon after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid every month for the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment towards the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: check here "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses website to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of hire on the lessor from your day of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to click here 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 here 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 click here 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