Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt 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 soon after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will be paid month-to-month into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment into the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of hire, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default in the nsfas university allowances payment of rent by NSFAS," the read more arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up till the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be chargeable for payment of lease into the lessor from your date 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 read more leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without click here the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments read more 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