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 arrives soon after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get usage of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers of your obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid out every month to the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment into the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, including payment of hire, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default during 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 resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be liable for payment of nsfas any arrear rent on the accommodation provider, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be answerable for payment of rent towards nsfas eligibility criteria the lessor through the date of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at nsfas university allowances any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to read more 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, must nsfas application delay be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za