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 comes after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out regular on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this agreement, including payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor get more info shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default in 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 consequence of an incorrect choice by read more NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation check here service provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be accountable for payment of lease to the lessor from your day of currently 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 nsfas document submission deadline 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 click here 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