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 require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS been given reports about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get usage of the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will be paid regular monthly for the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment to the lessor, or another person in connection with this arrangement, which include payment of rent, while awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor website shall don't have any recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed will not nsfas eligibility criteria be responsible for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation provider, up until finally the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that the place the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be responsible for payment of rent into click here the lessor through the date of remaining 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 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 nsfas application delay between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure nsfas student document submission deadline determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za