Accommodation vendors urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation vendors urged to halt 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 after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation vendors who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in order to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement amongst the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the rent will likely be paid month-to-month to the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or allow the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other varieties of payment to your lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, like payment of rent, though awaiting payment nsfas student document submission deadline from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement here 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 resulting from an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation supplier, up till the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding being defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of hire into the lessor from your date of currently being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation get more info 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 nsfas university allowances 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 here 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 determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za