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 not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers in the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement involving the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will likely be paid out every month to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment to your lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS nsfas allowances conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation company, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will more info be answerable for payment of lease to the lessor with the date of getting 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 here 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 check here the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by get more info NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za