Accommodation companies urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation companies urged to halt 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 comes after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can 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 amongst the private accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will likely be paid monthly on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment on the lessor, or every other person in connection with this agreement, together with payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private website accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation provider, website up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be accountable for payment of hire on the lessor from your here day of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded here by 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, 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 click here 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