Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers 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 after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid out regular for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment for the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse more info from the website lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be responsible for payment of hire on click here the lessor with the date of being 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 more info of all rent due to the accommodation nsfas application delay 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