Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives soon after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will likely be paid out month-to-month to the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any nsfas student allowances default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on here the student 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 answerable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying click here the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of hire towards the lessor from your day 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; nsfas document submission deadline 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 dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance website with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za