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 not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies in the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out every month on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment for the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms nsfas application delay for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the nsfas document submission deadline student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the more info NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up until nsfas tvet finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be liable for payment of hire to your lessor within 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 check here 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 procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za