Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS gained experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will likely be paid regular on the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another varieties of payment into the lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and read more terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the click here NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where click here the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be accountable for here payment of rent to the lessor with the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by nsfas academic pathways 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 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