Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation companies urged to end 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 following NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS explained in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will probably be paid monthly on the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of 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 need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other varieties of payment to the lessor, or every other person in connection with this nsfas academic pathways agreement, such as payment of rent, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default from the 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 choice by NSFAS, the student won't be answerable for payment of click here any get more info arrear rent to your accommodation service provider, up until eventually the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be accountable for payment of rent to your lessor from your day of getting 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 get more info 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," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any website 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