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 not to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation suppliers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment in order to get entry to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement in between the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent might be paid month-to-month into the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another forms of payment for the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, which includes payment of hire, though awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse in opposition to the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect decision by NSFAS, click here the scholar will not be accountable for payment of any get more info arrear rent to the accommodation service provider, up until finally the day of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be accountable for payment of lease nsfas academic pathways into the lessor from the 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 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 dispute resolution procedure read more determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: website SAnews.gov.za