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 to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers on the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will probably be paid every month on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of your lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other kinds of payment into the lessor, or any other person in connection with this arrangement, such as payment of lease, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse towards the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by check here NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on get more info the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be chargeable for payment of lease to the lessor with the day 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 read more pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the nsfas eligibility criteria 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 nsfas with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za