Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers urged to end 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 after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will likely be paid month-to-month to your accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other varieties of payment on the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, read more such as payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse against the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an website incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation service provider, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by here NSFAS, the student is going to more info be answerable for payment of hire towards 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 click here 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 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