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 to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes just after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the approved 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 companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will probably be paid out monthly to the accommodation provider (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 call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other kinds of payment to your lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any nsfas student allowances default during the payment of check here rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of rent to your lessor from the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation check here 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 read more 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, nsfas must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za