Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to end 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 arrives after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease might be paid every month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment for the lessor, or another person in connection with nsfas eligibility criteria this arrangement, like payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student nsfas allowances accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded website by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of hire to the lessor with the date of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a read more 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 providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to nsfas tvet 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 this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za