Accommodation suppliers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers 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 right after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation companies who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will probably be paid regular into the accommodation 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 allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other kinds of payment on the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of lease, although awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal here also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be responsible for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation company, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that wherever the NSFAS-funded nsfas document submission deadline student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be responsible for payment of hire into the lessor from your 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 vacate the leased property; and will be liable for click here 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 check here the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised nsfas status check 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