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 require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will be paid out regular towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment to your lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any nsfas allowances recourse versus the lessee for any check here default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be liable for payment of rent to your lessor from the date of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is nsfas student allowances 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 pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will here be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised read more 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