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 demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease is going to be paid out regular for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other kinds of payment to your lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, such as payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the here scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where the NSFAS-funded student get more info chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be chargeable for payment of lease to the lessor with the day of being 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; 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 more info 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 check here agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS get more info for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za