Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
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The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives soon after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent might be paid every month for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other types of payment for the lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, such as payment of hire, whilst awaiting website payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for website private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of lease to your lessor through the date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation check here 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 here said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, get more info must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za