I recently received an email from someone who left the UAE for personal reasons. As a result he cannot come back - much as he'd like to. I'm sharing his experience because it brings home a few things that are specific to life as an expat - things that could happen to any of us. Let's call this person Joe (not his real name).
Joe's father was seriously ill. Joe applied for, and was refused leave. He was told that if he went anyway he'd lose his job and face consequences. Joe decided that family comes first and got on a plane. He is very happy he did so because he got to say goodbye to his father.
Realising he had no job to go back to, and fearing he'd been registered as an absconder and loan defaulter, instead of walking away from his obligations - as so many do - he decided to honour them. So, this is what he did: "I first wrote letters to all the banks explaining what had happened and managed to secure agreements that I could still transfer money to them, which showed my commitment to them (that) I wanted to pay back," Joe says.
He had left behind Dh350,000 worth of debt with four different banks. The banks appeared happy with the new arrangements to pay back what he owes.
Then things changed. "After a few months I started to get these phone calls, emails, faxes to my home, my family home and even my workplace," says Joe. "All the research I had done and then it started to come true and I was ready for the collection agents."
The research he refers to is what he found out before deciding to leave the country. He had been looking into the "what if?" What if he was put down as having done a runner? What if his work stated he was missing? What if they notified the bank? What if?
In doing so, he came across the many stories about collection agents. Perhaps some are part urban myth, but from what I have been told, from many differing sources, the stories of the people on the receiving end of these agents' techniques match up. And it is worrying.
Joe referred to the names of the agencies - but I cannot share them for legal reasons.
This is how Joe describes what he calls "The most ruthless, cold-hearted, law-breaking criminals that ever lived".
He, and everyone I've come across who has had dealings with these agents, refers to things like total disregard for privacy as well as very threatening aggressive behaviour.
Let us take a step back. People who are in financial trouble are often so mentally and emotionally stressed that they feel physically ill and cannot sleep. It can get so bad that they feel there is no way out and take their own lives.
This is not an issue to be taken lightly.
There is often an element of personal strife too - betrayal, financial infidelity and more. In this person's case he had taken out loans to help the woman he loved. They were both paying back the money borrowed, as their life was a shared one.
Unfortunately for him, she had kept her husband back home a secret and simply left the country one day, saddling him with her debt - and the shock of finding out the truth.
Of course the banking sector needs to outsource various elements of their business. One of which is collecting outstanding debt. That's not the issue.
The issue is the conduct, values and strategies of the agencies acting on behalf of banks.
Some of the stories are simply unbelievable. They include showing up at their place of work to shame and threaten them in front of colleagues and posting threats and aggressive messages to people via social media.
Joe says he was ready. What he went on to explain is that because he knew of these tactics, he was prepared for them. He didn't fall apart. Many others aren't so fortunate.
Being in financial trouble is scary. Instead of penalising those who come forward and genuinely want to set their financial track record straight, we need to embrace them. How about creating a safe haven and empowering people to get on top of their money, and their life, rather than attacking and disabling? Otherwise no one wins.
Nima Abu Wardeh is the founder of the personal finance website cashy.me. You can reach her at nima@cashy.me
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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Company%20Profile
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Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
