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 require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will likely be paid regular monthly to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment to the lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, here including payment of rent, although 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 private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect decision nsfas status check by NSFAS, the scholar won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up until eventually the date of more info being defunded."
NSFAS stated that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of rent to your lessor in the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to read more 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 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