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 to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get use of 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 between the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will probably be paid out regular monthly to the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment to the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of rent, whilst awaiting nsfas university allowances payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement 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 as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the nsfas application delay scholar won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be accountable for payment of lease for the lessor within the date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to get more info a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student nsfas student allowances 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 nsfas login 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