Accommodation suppliers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes immediately after NSFAS been given stories about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get entry to the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the non-public accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease are going to be paid monthly on the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or some other sorts of payment to the lessor, or almost every other person in reference to this arrangement, including payment of rent, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards read more the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect selection by NSFAS, nsfas eligibility criteria the coed won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation company, up right check here up until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS stated that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded by NSFAS, more info the student will be responsible for payment of lease on the lessor through the date 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 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 more info the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za