Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers urged to halt 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 gained reports about some accommodation suppliers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the private accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease might be paid monthly on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the 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 allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment to your lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default within the here payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded on account of an incorrect determination by nsfas university allowances NSFAS, the coed won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent on the more info accommodation service 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 chargeable for payment of hire into the lessor in the date of staying 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 check here the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that here 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