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 to not require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives following NSFAS received stories about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement among the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent might be paid month to month on the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other sorts of payment to your lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, which includes payment of hire, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards the lessee for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement 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 due to an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for website payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation supplier, up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding check here currently being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be chargeable for payment of read more hire into the lessor in the date 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 payment read more 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 dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure read more determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za