I have not paid my phone bill for some time now because of not having the money available. I will be travelling to India for 20 days and then coming back to the UAE. I have an employment visa as proof that I am not running away from the debts. My question is whether I will be arrested at the airport for non-payment of the bill? Can you advise me? RS, Abu Dhabi
If a customer does not pay a utility bill for an extended period, a company can initially withdraw the service. This usually happens once a bill is 15 days overdue. The company cannot issue a travel ban, but this can be done if a police case is registered. If RS is not responding to inquiries and is not making any payments, then the company can choose to register a police case. Once a case is opened, the police will usually contact the individual so that they have the option to pay the outstanding amount before the matter goes any further. Information can be passed to the Department of Immigration, but in many cases must also be subject to a court hearing before a final decision is made as to whether a travel ban is applied. Before that, however, it is possible that a potential case is flagged up on the system. This can mean that a person attempting to leave the UAE can be prevented from doing so and detained until the matter is resolved. Having a valid employment visa is no guarantee that someone is not planning to abscond. I suggest that RS contacts the provider to discuss settling the debt and to find out if a police case has been registered. He can also check this himself at any main police station.
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser and senior partner with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with over 20 years’ experience. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE.
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only.
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