Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to end 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 comes soon after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent might be paid regular monthly to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ 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 any other types of payment to your lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall nsfas eligibility criteria have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default from the more info payment of 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 because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation company, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student will be chargeable nsfas document submission deadline for payment of rent into the lessor within the date of becoming 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 click here 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 any nsfas eligibility criteria dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za