Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation companies 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 right after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent might be paid out regular towards the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment for the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default click here during 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 as a result of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of hire for the lessor within the date of becoming defunded.
"Where nsfas login 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 check here to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the click here scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation more info of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za