Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will probably be paid month to month to the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment to the lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the check here agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased read more premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for nsfas status check payment of rent for the lessor with the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the website 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 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 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