Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college 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 following NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for 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 obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will likely be paid month-to-month to the accommodation service 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 call for or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment into the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this agreement, including payment click here of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar website are going to be liable for payment of hire into the lessor within the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student nsfas application delay must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable more info 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 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 website procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za