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 not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives right after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers on the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will likely be paid out monthly to the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other forms of payment on the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default during website the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation nsfas application delay portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect decision nsfas student document submission deadline by NSFAS, the coed won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of hire to the lessor from your day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by nsfas 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 nsfas document submission deadline resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za