Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will likely be paid monthly to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment for the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions website and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded nsfas university allowances by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of hire towards the lessor in the date of getting 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 nsfas 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 more info 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 nsfas eligibility criteria agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za