Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers 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 comes after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers from the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement among the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent are going to be paid out regular towards the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other forms of payment into the lessor, or almost every other person in connection with this agreement, which includes payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement 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 determination by more info NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable nsfas student document submission deadline for payment of any arrear rent on the accommodation company, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student is going click here to be chargeable for payment of rent to your 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 of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, get more info 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," here 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 determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za