Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation companies 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 providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get usage of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid regular monthly for the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other sorts of payment for the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall click here 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 on account of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will website not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to here be chargeable for payment of lease on the lessor within the day of remaining 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 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 click here 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 click here procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za