Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent might be paid out month-to-month on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other kinds of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this agreement, together with payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded click here resulting from nsfas student allowances an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of lease into the lessor from your date of staying 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 nsfas university allowances 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 read more the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the nsfas application delay agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za