Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers urged to end 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 arrives soon after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the private accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will likely be paid month to month to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other types of payment for the lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, such as payment of hire, even though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions here and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the website NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be answerable for payment of rent to your lessor through the day of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by website 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, more info 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 here dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za