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 require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid out monthly into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in more info connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: check here "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation service provider, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue click here occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be chargeable for payment of hire for the lessor from 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 NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not read more 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 more info 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