Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so as to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors in the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will be paid monthly for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other forms of payment towards the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS here conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student will not be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of hire for the lessor in get more info 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 click here 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 the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," here 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: more info SAnews.gov.za