Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid out regular on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other kinds of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of rent, while awaiting 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 conditions and terms for check here private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to click here continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, more info the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of lease to your lessor through the day of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by get more info 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 more info 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