Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers urged to end 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 after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will be paid out month to month towards the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment on the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, together with payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have nsfas university allowances any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal nsfas student allowances also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the student will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation provider, up right until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be answerable for payment of rent towards the nsfas allowances lessor from your date of being 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 check here 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 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 click here dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za