When this Dubai consultant lent Dh60,000 to a friend, she never imagined she would spend another Dh31,000 in a fruitless attempt to get her money back. Fran Healy reports
Bridget Deane will never lend money to anyone again.
"I lent money and thought that bank receipts and a signed IOU would be sufficient under the law, but I've found out otherwise," says Ms Deane, a Dubai image consultant in her mid-fifties who arrived from the UK in 1996.
"Now I'm Dh60,000 worse off, not to mention an extra Dh31,000 in lawyer and court fees."
She remembers the day clearly. In February 2003, she ran into an acquaintance - whom she wishes to keep anonymous - at a coffee shop in Dubai. Ms Deane knew the woman, who owned a small retail clothing business in the city. Over the course of five years they had built up a professional rapport, and from time to time, Ms Deane would refer clients to her shop and promote her business.
But at this meeting, her friend had a problem.
With no family and two small children, she told Ms Deane she was finding it difficult to replenish the stock in her clothing store. And she claimed her bank wouldn't lend her the money. So she asked Ms Deane for a loan to the tune of Dh60,000.
Ms Deane didn't give an answer right away. Instead, she decided to ask her husband's opinion.
"'Do you trust her?', he asked me. 'Yes I do,' I replied.
"I've lived to regret that decision," Ms Deane says.
In March, Ms Deane travelled home to London for a holiday. From there she transferred £10,000, the equivalent of Dh60,000 at that time, from her account in the Bank of Ireland to the woman's bank account.
"I e-mailed her to say I had deposited the money and I received an e-mail back saying 'thank you very much, we will draw up an agreement on your return'," she says. A couple of weeks later, they did just that. But rather than have a lawyer draft a legal document, Ms Deane penned her own. The piece of white, lined paper stated that her acquaintance would pay the money back in one year, with interest. They both signed it.
"I can't really remember how much interest she said she'd pay me," she says. "You know, I did it to help, not to gain."
A year later there was still no sign of her Dh60,000. The borrower, however, was making an effort to assure Ms Deane that she would make good on the loan.
"She asked if she could leave it another six months, and then I would get it all," she says. "And I said, 'sure, you need time, I understand'."
By September 2004, the store owner began making weekly promises, and then the weeks turned into months. It was then that Ms Deane knew she had a fight on her hands. But she still delayed taking any legal action, hoping the woman would come through with her dirhams.
By April 2005, Ms Deane had enough. She approached a British law firm, who contacted the debtor on her behalf. The firm later told Ms Deane that her acquaintance admitted she owed the money, but was not in a position to give it back just yet.
For Ms Deane, this meant taking the woman to court.
"I paid the firm Dh11,000 for the consultations over about six weeks," she says. "But as they didn't have an Arabic-speaking lawyer to represent me in court, they told me that they couldn't take it any further."
Ms Deane thought that the threat of a court case would be sufficient to make the woman to pay up, but it appeared that her debtor knew how the courts work in the UAE, and the stalemate continued.
However, Ms Deane decided she couldn't back down and approached another law firm, this time one based in Dubai.
First, the lawyer advised her to ask a friend to act as a go-between to contact the debtor to see if she could be persuaded to return the money without going to court.
"My friend Sonia tried, but was given a sob story and a promise of the funds by January 2006."
When that month came and went, she filed a court case and, beginning in February 2006, was represented by the law firm in numerous court hearings. She was advised to leave the legal battle to her lawyers. But she could not resist showing up one day to plead her case.
"I wasn't supposed to, but I wanted to be there," she explains. "I sat in the back in the female section, and when the judge called my name I jumped up and ran up to the front."
She presented the original receipts from the bank showing the transfer of the pounds had gone through successfully, along with the contract she had drawn up herself.
"I had to pay Dh1,000 to the court to have a professional handwriting analyst compare the borrower's signature with that on her passport," she says. Ms Deane continued to wait as the case passed through different courts and levels of bureaucracy. Finally, in April 2008, she received her terrible news.
According to the courts, there wasn't enough evidence she had given the woman Dh60,000. Ms Deane claims she was given scant information about the reasoning behind the ruling, but her lawyers advised her to stop pursuing the debt.
Meanwhile, Ms Deane had paid her Dubai law firm Dh19,000, meaning that her total legal fees were now a woeful Dh31,000.
"I paid over Dh30,000 in legal fees to get nothing," she says.
"I was so naive, and she got away with it. The lesson here is that if you are prepared to lend money, get a post-dated cheque or have your lawyer draw up legal documents, because only then can you put a defaulter behind bars."
Looking back, Ms Deane realises that what seemed like a simple act of kindness was, in reality, a very serious contractual agreement. She advises anyone loaning money to a friend or relative to pay for the services of a lawyer to draw up a legal contract. Every relationship, she says, should be a professional one.
Although Ms Deane says she could afford to lose the money without going to the poorhouse, forfeiting the cash meant she had to forgo a holiday for three years.
And she doesn't expect to see her money anytime soon, if ever.
"Someone said to me that I could still pursue the case back home, as the transaction occurred in the UK," Ms Deane says.
"But do I have the heart or the money to do that? No, I don't."
Have you made a financial mistake we can all learn from? Share your story with us at pf@thenational.ae
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
FINAL SCORES
Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs
(Sandy Sandeep 29, Hamdan Tahir 26 no, Umair Ali 2-15)
Sharjah 131 for 8 in 19.3 overs
(Kashif Daud 51, Umair Ali 20, Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Sabir Rao 2-26)
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
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
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THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
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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South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
if you go
