Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded 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 comes immediately after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation companies who demand 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 compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent are going to be paid out month to month into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the 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 need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment on the lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ 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 won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying website the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of lease to the lessor through the day of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is more info 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 here 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 website student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any read more dispute arising 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