Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid out month to month for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition read more to the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account more info of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation company, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of lease into the lessor in the date 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 nsfas student document submission deadline rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior nsfas eligibility criteria 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 dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for get more info this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za