Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation vendors 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 acquired stories about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get usage of the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease is going to be paid out regular towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment to your lessor, or another person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse against the lessee for any default inside 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 nsfas allowances student is defunded due to an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the scholar will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student will be chargeable for payment of rent into the lessor with the date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the here student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be more info 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 click here 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 get more info purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za