Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 following NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid regular monthly for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment for the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The more info NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding website becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment nsfas eligibility criteria of rent into the lessor with the date of remaining 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 more info 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 parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution nsfas academic pathways procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za