Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers urged to halt 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 comes immediately after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid month-to-month on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other forms of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee get more info for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ more info participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that where here by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be accountable for payment of lease into the lessor through the date 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; click here 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 click here 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