Bank addresses reader’s concern

Customer’s account was frozen during job transfer as per the lender’s policy

Frozen bank account

I have an account and a loan from Dubai Islamic Bank. I am making monthly payments for it and have never been late. On June 1, 2017, I resigned from my previous job as I received another job offer. I had to work for two months on a notice period.

The company sent the end of service date to my bank and they froze my account. I showed them my new contract but they did not care, as they asked for a salary transfer letter from my new job. On August 6, I started my new job and requested a letter to be issued to my bank, which was provided. I went to one of the branches on August 10 and submitted it. They told me that it would take 48 hours for it to be processed. After three days, I went to the bank again and asked why my account was still blocked. They just saw the comment on their system - that they were waiting for the new company’s salary to be deposited. During that time, I had my end of service remuneration being deposited as well, which was two months’ salary. So, I had to wait until August 28, as on that day, my company deposited the salary to my account. I called once again but the bank mentioned that they would file a complaint, which would take another 48 hours.

During that time, I made several calls asking for help, but nothing happened.

Today, August 30, I went to the Dubai Islamic Bank’s office in Deira but they sent me to another branch. There, I met a staff member at the reception who mentioned that I needed to go to Sharjah as they had shifted the collections office there. I told her I won’t do that and I needed someone to help me right now, because I am tired.

She suggested that I go back to the corporate office and ask for the head of the collections department. I went back there and saw a woman at the reception and explained my problem to her. She made a call to another officer, who asked her to provide certain explanations to me. The woman refused, telling her that she should explain it to me directly. Once I was on the phone, I was extremely upset with what I heard. The officer told me that she is going to only release my salary from the new company but the rest of the money in my account and my end of service remuneration along with the previous company’s salary is not going to be released, as they have a new policy, which they are just applying.

I told her that it is not their right to do so and hung up the phone. Until now, they have not released anything from my account. I need Gulf News’ help. From Mr Zaid Shalabi Dubai

The management of Dubai Islamic Bank responds:

DIB’s Customer Complaints Resolution team has briefed Mr Shalabi about the bank’s policy of adjusting his ‘End of Service’ remuneration to clear his financial instalments. Due to a change in the customer’s employment status, the terms under which the original facility was granted are no longer applicable and the bank had to take this action to safeguard its interest.

Mr Shalabi expressed the need to speak to the bank’s Collections Department to clarify other queries. The customer was contacted and his query was handled by the Collections Team.

We now consider the matter to be closed and look forward to helping Mr Shalabi in any other way we can in the future. We would like to remind our customers that certain policies cannot be altered or revoked. At DIB, we value our customers’ feedback and try to ensure that their requests or concerns are addressed in the best possible manner.

(Process initiation: September 11. Response from organisation: October 15. Reader confirmation: November 20.)

Editor’s note: Do you have similar issues that you would like to raise with us? You can write to us at readers@gulfnews.com.