Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university 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 after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent is going to be paid monthly towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, which include payment of lease, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default from 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 on account of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent nsfas login for the accommodation supplier, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of rent to the lessor from the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation click here by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the here 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 nsfas allowances the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising here 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