Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid out month to month on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, like click here payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the coed won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the read more accommodation company, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be responsible for payment of rent for the lessor with the date of currently being defunded.
"Where the student nsfas document submission deadline 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 moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental nsfas academic pathways to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental website 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