Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers 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 after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent is going to be paid out regular on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, including payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as website a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment of hire on the lessor from your 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 click here rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect here not to pay nsfas any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be nsfas login 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 procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za