Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives soon after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies from the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid month-to-month towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment on the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation website portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the student won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation company, up until the day read more of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student will be responsible for payment of lease to your lessor within the date of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must nsfas application delay 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 check here that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance nsfas eligibility criteria with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za