Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of your compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement in between the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease is going to be paid regular monthly for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment to your lessor, or every other person here in reference click here to this arrangement, such as payment of lease, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS 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 result of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation service provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses get more info to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student will be liable for payment of rent towards the lessor from your date of becoming 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 read more 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 website 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 be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za