Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop 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 received reports about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies in the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out monthly into the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment for the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default from here the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student more info accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that in which the here NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be responsible for payment of hire into the lessor from the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by nsfas tvet 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 be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any check here 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