Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get usage of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will likely be paid monthly to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment on the lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, which include payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for more info private nsfas application delay accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is nsfas student allowances defunded as a result of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the coed will not be liable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be responsible for payment of rent on the lessor from your day of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded 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 here 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 read more 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