Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university 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 right after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid regular to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the 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 need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other varieties of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of rent, when awaiting payment from nsfas academic pathways NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ check here participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation company, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the nsfas status check leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of rent to the lessor from your date of 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 check here 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 scheme emphasised that any nsfas university allowances 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