Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors 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 just after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease are going to be paid month to month towards the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other forms of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have nsfas document submission deadline no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement 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 as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student nsfas eligibility criteria won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation service provider, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding here getting defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be answerable for payment of hire to your lessor within the day of currently 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; 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 here the agreement, must be dealt with nsfas eligibility criteria in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za