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 following NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get entry to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease are going to be paid month-to-month to the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment to the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of rent, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any read more recourse versus the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement more info reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable for payment of rent on the lessor through the day of staying 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 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 nsfas resolution procedure determined by here NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za