Accommodation providers urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation providers 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 soon after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get use of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers with the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will be paid out every month to your accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other forms of payment to your lessor, or another person in nsfas university allowances reference to this arrangement, such as payment of rent, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ nsfas eligibility criteria participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up till the day of click here being defunded."
NSFAS described that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be chargeable for payment of hire towards the lessor through the day of becoming 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 click here accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any nsfas document submission deadline 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