Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt 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 immediately after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get use of the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent will be paid out regular monthly towards the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of 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 allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or almost every other types of payment into the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the read more student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent into the accommodation provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be accountable for payment of hire on the lessor through the date of becoming defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a nsfas eligibility criteria 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 nsfas allowances be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the more info 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 check here purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za