Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation companies urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation suppliers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the accredited private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers from the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent might be paid every month on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment to the lessor, or any other person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ more info participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation company, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS described that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying website the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of lease to the lessor within the date of remaining 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 website without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any here such rental payments will be for the student own nsfas allowances 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