Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university 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 obtained experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will likely be paid month to month towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other forms of payment to your lessor, or almost every other person in connection read more with this agreement, together with payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse nsfas allowances in opposition to website the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by read more NSFAS, the coed will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation supplier, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student will be accountable for payment of hire to the lessor from the day of currently being 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 nsfas tvet 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 procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za