Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent are going to be paid month-to-month to the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other types of payment towards the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, such as payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any nsfas eligibility criteria default within the payment of here rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment of any nsfas university allowances arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student will be answerable for payment of hire into the lessor nsfas document submission deadline from the day of remaining 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 the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with read more any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za