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 to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease might be paid out month-to-month towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this agreement, like payment of lease, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse versus the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal check here also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be answerable for payment of any arrear get more info rent for here the accommodation supplier, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of lease for the lessor through the day of currently being 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 nsfas student document submission deadline 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 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, nsfas academic pathways must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za