Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university 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 immediately after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent are going to be paid monthly to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with 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 demand or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment into the lessor, or every other person in reference check here to this arrangement, which includes payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms nsfas eligibility criteria and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the check here leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be responsible for payment of rent towards the lessor in the day 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 nsfas for payment of all rent nsfas tvet 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