Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies in the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent is going to be paid out regular towards the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment for the lessor, or any other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for check here any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where click here the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of more info an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of hire towards the lessor through the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded here 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 nsfas tvet 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 procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za