Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop 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 arrives following NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement involving the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will probably be paid out every month to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other varieties of payment on the lessor, or any other person nsfas student document submission deadline in reference to this agreement, together with payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the more info student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded here by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be liable for payment of lease to the lessor through the day of becoming 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; nsfas status check 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 be dealt with in accordance with nsfas eligibility criteria any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za