Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will be paid regular monthly to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment on the lessor, or another person in reference to this read more arrangement, including payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse versus the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable more info for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be liable read more for payment of hire for the lessor from the day of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded read more 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, click here 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