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 to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers in the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent are going to be paid month to month to the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ 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 towards the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement 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 on account of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses read more to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be website answerable for payment of rent towards the lessor within the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, read more 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 check here 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 get more info 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