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 never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease are going to be paid month to month on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other types of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to more info the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, check here up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding more info getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of lease on the lessor with the date 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; 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 here scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation read more 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