Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation companies urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS gained stories about some accommodation providers who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement in between the personal accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent might be paid out regular monthly to the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf on the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not involve or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment to your lessor, or any other person in connection with this agreement, such as payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have nsfas tvet no recourse towards the lessee for check here any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the scholar will not be accountable click here for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation company, up right up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on nsfas login occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be responsible for payment of hire towards the lessor with 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, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any nsfas 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 determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za