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 require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS acquired reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement concerning the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid out regular monthly to the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment to the lessor, or every other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of lease, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions click here for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation company, up right until website the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar is going to be liable for payment of lease towards the lessor within the date of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due nsfas academic pathways to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, nsfas student document submission deadline 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 get more info 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