I owe a total of Dh250,000 on four credit cards with four different banks in the UAE, which I have used to pay for medical treatment for my sister, who had cancer before dying, and for my father’s knee surgery.
Every month, I would take money from the cards to pay the instalments I owed on them, but the debt became too much on my small salary.
One of the banks has filed a civil case against me. I spent three days in jail and now have a travel ban against my name.
I owe this bank Dh155,700. I am making monthly payments towards the debt of about Dh2,000, which includes the court and Anjat fees.
So far, I have paid a total of Dh37,000 towards the debt, but the added interest amounts to Dh36,000.
For the past three years, I have been requesting the bank to give me an instalment plan of at least four years.
However, it will only offer a plan of six months after paying Dh70,000. My financial situation is such that it is not possible for me to follow their advice and I cannot afford the lawyer's fees to fight the case.
My monthly salary is Dh6,880, which includes my accommodation and food.
Every month, I send Dh2,000 to my family at home, where I am responsible for 13 people.
Due to my financial situation, I am under a lot of stress. My health is not good and I have high blood pressure, a heart problem and severe pain in both legs.
I am 46 years old and a father of three children. It has been four years since I have been home to see my family.
I will be very grateful if the bank gave me an instalment plan of Dh2,000 and allowed me to travel to my country for a month on the guarantee of a colleague.
Can you advise me on how I can do this, please? AK, Abu Dhabi
Debt panellist 1: Jaya Ratnani, managing partner at Freed Financial Services
When almost every second person is debt-laden, it is hard to avoid falling into a debt trap. The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the situation for many people. The fear is when you resort to further borrowings to pay old debt, which only worsens your condition.
We empathise with your circumstances and, truly, it is one of the most difficult situations. It is not easy when you are facing physical, emotional and financial hardship at the same time.
The actions taken by the banks in your case have been carried out in a routine manner. You will require assistance to escalate this matter to the highest level in the management and explain your situation appropriately.
Firstly, you will need to prepare a cover letter of your personal and financial situation. This will need to be supported by all the relevant documents such as salary certificate, payslips, medical reports and proof of all other liabilities.
The letter should include a request to convert the credit card debt into a loan at the lowest interest rate.
Once the bank agrees to a restructuring plan, it may ask for a guarantor and proof of their income will need to be submitted.
Some banks may cancel the travel ban if an agreement has been approved, or they may wait for three to six months of satisfactory repayments of the reduced instalments.
For cases in which a bank has filed a legal case, you can represent yourself and request the payment plan through the court.
For some credit card cases, the judge may appoint an expert to calculate the total interest payment made by you since inception.
Sometimes, if the interest payments made by you are more than the court's approved interest rate, the excess payment made by you can be considered and adjusted in the amount you owe to the bank.
You may request the court to convert the balance payable in an instalment plan based on your ability to pay.
But doing so, you will once again need to provide the cover letter supported by all the documents as mentioned above.
I wish you all the best and hope you can find your journey to a debt-free life soon.
Debt panellist 2: R Sivaram, executive vice president and head of retail banking products at Emirates NBD
Medical expenses that arise unexpectedly can be a cause of anxiety for everyone.
It is important to consider including provisions such as health and term insurance, as well as emergency funds for such contingencies, to ensure that you are well-prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.
In your current situation, clearing your debt will be challenging. However, it is possible if you take a disciplined and strategic approach.
The first step would be to create a budget, make a list of all your expenses and prioritise them according to importance.
Cut down on any unnecessary expenses and redirect the money towards paying down your debt.
In parallel, explore the option of increasing your income. Consider accepting support from your family or borrowing against collateral to pay off a portion of your debt and get a break on interest payouts.
When incurring unplanned debts that are difficult to service, it is very important to tell your bank and constantly communicate your financial situation, so it may work with you on a long-term solution.
I would recommend that you reach out to a senior official at your bank and share full details of your financial position.
Ask for a revised payment plan over a longer term that will help you to continue paying off the outstanding due with lower monthly instalments.
Also, given the current level of debt you have, you could also ask for a temporary payment holiday, followed by a clear schedule of payments that you would be able to honour.
Regarding travelling to your home country, you need to make a plea based on humanitarian grounds and also check what the bank’s position is on the guarantee that your colleague has offered.
However, if a bank is unable to accommodate your payment request plan, you should consider liquidating some assets to pay off a portion of the outstanding amount and then attempt to restructure the debt.
Remember, paying down debt takes time and effort. It is important to stay committed and make consistent progress towards regaining your financial stability.
Debt panellist 3: Alison Soltani, founder of Leap Savvy Savers
Firstly, I am sorry you are facing this challenging and extremely stressful situation and hope that you will have the chance to go home and visit your family and children in the near future.
The most important issue here is your health.
You must take care of your health to be able to continue supporting yourself and your family.
Ensure you visit a doctor and have all the required medication to improve your physical condition.
You must take care of your health in order to be able to continue supporting yourself and your family
Alison Soltani,
founder of Leap Savvy Savers
You will be entitled to paid sick leave from your job. Check with your HR department, but usually 30 days' paid sick leave a year is provided with a medical certificate. Take the time you need to recuperate.
It is important for you to have the chance to visit with your family to reset and refocus on this issue.
Check the details and conditions of your travel ban on the Dubai Police app. Then, you can apply for your travel ban to be lifted through the Ministry of Justice website.
Simultaneously, approach the bank again and ask to speak to their relationship manager.
Explain your situation, take all documents pertaining to your debts, accounts and court case, and request that they either lower the interest rate, forgive the interest or restructure the loan. Ask them for their response in writing.
If they refuse, you can register a complaint with the UAE Central Bank on its website or by calling 800 22 823.
Provide details of your attempts to settle with the bank and your willingness to pay the debt, but explain your inability to meet the demands of the bank.
A representative from the Central Bank will contact you and carry out an investigation into your case.
Also, there are ways you can apply for financial aid in the UAE. You can apply online for Zakat by filling in a form on its website.
You can also apply for financial assistance to Dar al Ber, Beit Al Khair or Sharjah Charity International.
Finally, there are free legal services available in the UAE, including Shoor and ADJD. It is worth applying, as even one consultation with a lawyer may provide a clear pathway or next steps.
You will have to provide documents and evidence for your situation and, although not ideal, some financial assistance may help you pull through the short-term challenges.
If you haven’t already, talk to your family at home and explain your situation.
They may not be aware of your health issues and someone else may be able to help shoulder the financial burden temporarily while you focus on paying your debt here.
The Debt Panel is a weekly column to help readers tackle their debts more effectively. If you have a question for the panel, write to pf@thenational.ae
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
Company%20profile
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
LUKA CHUPPI
Director: Laxman Utekar
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Cinema
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon, Pankaj Tripathi, Vinay Pathak, Aparshakti Khurana
Rating: 3/5
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Liverpool v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm UAE
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
