ADCB Emails - UAE Debt Advice

[josey28]

Hi , Ive accepted a job to move to Dubai which has came right out the blue. Ive no assets it was a rented

 

council house so I will have to close my UK bank account, My question is : I have about 2k of credit card debt (£340, £500, £700, £550) on 4 cards which i cant pay off the balance before i leave. Ive spoken to one card company for advice , asked them if they accpet international payments to which they said no ?? Ive no other family here to ask to make payments , what can I do ????

 

I really dont want to just up and leave but can they get me in Dubai ? will it affect my credit rating there ? ive no intention of coming back to live in the uk for sometime but will visit will this be a problem ??

 

 

Thanks for the time to answer

[ozzyboy]

Why do you have to close your UK bank account?

 

If you keep it open it's easy enough to transfer money back to the UK - I'd say that every UK expat working in Dubai or anywhere else will still have an open account with their UK bank.

[josey28]

I was told it is illegal to have a UK account without a UK address ?

[sequenci]

Not that I'm aware of

[ozzyboy]

I think you're getting confused about opening a UK account without a UK address... which is all about the prevention of international money laundering.

 

Most countries won't allow you to open a bank account without proof of residency.

 

Keeping a bank account open whilst you are overseas is not a problem at all.

[josey28]

Im having some problems in DXB at the moment although still keeping up payments on a CC and loan my company is shedding jobs and nothing on the horizon , no assets in the UK but might be able to secure work in Scotland.

 

My question is how long will it take for them to catch up with me and what to expect when I leave ?

 

I really don't want to leave but may have no option as Im not willing to go to prison

[dx100uk]

post moved to your own topic...……...

 

not much they can do to you in all reality..

 

• dx

[josey28]

really ?  I'm just wondering what the will do if i return?

 

Just for ref I've dealt with the uk cards long ago I'm now talking about returning to the UK from the UAE ?

[dx100uk]

so im i

[josey28]

Im a bit confused ? I've read the forums etc.. seen a lot of harassment , courts orders and very confused and worried about what to do

[unclebulgaria67]

You have no assets for them to go after.

 

international debt collection involves the foreign creditor using a UK based debt collector to hassle you into making payments. But as they then have to share in amounts collected, you may have UAE debt collectors try to make contact with you first. Then if no joy, a UK based debt collector will take over trying to communicate with you.

 

You just advise the creditors of your UK address, after you have left the UAE. Then always check letters received. If you get a letter at some point in the future saying that they will attempt to enforce through local courts, then come back for further advice. But it could be quite awhile before that is attempted.

[dx100uk]

stick to cag imho...

 

[josey28]

so let the bank know my address in the Uk  ?

 

CAG ?

[dx100uk]

cag yes this website

stop reading elsewhere

 

you have no assets..so nothing they can really do.

 

just don't hide..not for the fact of the UAE debts, more for credit worthiness in the uk.

 

as UB says, IF IF IF some fleecer eventually writes about a UAE debt.

pop back on this thread and tell us.

 

till then..enjoy your new life in bonny scotland

[unclebulgaria67]

Yes once you have left the UAE and are back in the UK, it is advisable to send creditors a letter with your UK address. Then sit back and see what happens. 

 

You may receive phone calls even to a work address. So don't be tempted to have online social media with work details such as Facebook, Linkedin. Never engage with them. Do not identify yourself.

 

They will write to you. Read letters and file them, unless they are going to court.

 

What dx is referring to about reading elsewhere. There is a specialist company that apparently helps with UAE issues. All they appear to do is generate plenty of media to advertise themselves. And their business model seems to be negotiating repayments with UAE creditors and you wonder if they are sharing in the proceeds.

[josey28]

OK thanks the calling to a work address is a bit alarming , should i give a telephone number or strictly leave to emails and letters ??

[unclebulgaria67]

You don't need to provide any phone number. Just don't have BT or any other provider listing your phone number publicly. They may get hold of it anyway, as phone numbers appear to be available. 

 

There are silly people out there who register all of their info on Linkedin, Facebook etc and wonder why they receive unwanted communications. If your new employers want to have an online profile of yourself on the companies website, you might want to advise them, that this will lead to unwanted calls to the workplace. Tell your employers about the UAE issue as there is no reason to hide this. It is none of their business how you are dealing with it.

[josey28]

ok great thanks the sum is over 70k GBP so I expect them to get in touch although unsecured , 

 

one the question will they visit in person or keep to mails and phone calls ?

[unclebulgaria67]

What scary collection agents at the doorstep. Not allowed in Scotland.  

 

Outside of Scotland, some debt companies employ agents on commission to make visits. But they have no powers.

 

If and very unlikely, the obtained Court Judgement in Scotland, they have their own way of doing things, with court officers being used. Not something to look into now. 

 

Don't worry at this point. You don't want to be hiding behind a sofa for years !

[dx100uk]

court papers in Scotland must be pers served by sheriff officers

wont happen on UAE debts. never has AFAIK

[josey28]

Thanks Guys will keep you updated ! I hope to find an alternative job here but the market is down 

 

thanks for the advice and if I do leave no doubt I’ll be back in touch , appreciate it 

[ericsbrother]

In NI you can still legally set your pet lion on them when they call

[josey28]

its happening being made redundant , final payment going to bank end of July but company cancelling my visa end of June,  worried about travelling with  visa cancellation is this ok ?

[unclebulgaria67]

No idea about any VISA. I presume that without a VISA, you have to present yourself to relevant authority to extend the VISA within a certain time period or you have to leave the country.

 

Your VISA should tell you the conditions and whoever granted it should have a contact number for queried.

 

If I were in your position, without another job to go to, I would leave as soon as I had to. So need to find out by which date after working VISA is cancelled you need to leave the country. It may be that you would still have a visitors or tourist VISA for a relevant period. You just cannot work.

 

 

[josey28]

Ok thanks