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 demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives after NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will likely be paid monthly to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment for the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of nsfas university allowances hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as get more info a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to click here carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be responsible for payment of lease for the lessor from the date of getting defunded.
"Where get more info 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 click here 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