Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS obtained reports about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement between the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent are going to be paid every month to your accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or another person in reference to this agreement, which includes payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because read more of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, nsfas login the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable nsfas university allowances for payment of lease into the lessor through the date of getting 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 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 nsfas academic pathways 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: read more SAnews.gov.za