Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers urged to end 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 immediately after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will likely be paid regular monthly on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment on the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent nsfas application delay by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on more info occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of hire into the lessor with the date of remaining 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; click here 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, click here and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme read more 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