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 just after NSFAS obtained stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will likely be paid month to month for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment for the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions 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 choice here by NSFAS, the student won't be responsible get more info for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of lease into the lessor from your date of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the website lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must read more 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 scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must website be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za