Story thread · 14 reports / 11 sources

'How can I reclaim my utility deposit after leaving the UAE and closing my local bank account?'

thenationalnews.com · 10dShare

Question: I am leaving the country and have closed my bank account. My landlord has agreed to transfer my security deposit to my account in my home country. However, the utility company, Taqa , has given me two options: they require either a power of attorney to send the deposit to my friend who is a UAE resident, or I can leave it in my account so I can access it if I return to the UAE as a resident. They do not offer an option to transfer the deposit to an international account, and the cost of setting up a power of attorney is nearly as much as the deposit itself. Is there anything else I can do? SN, Abu Dhabi Answer: The standard deposit amount with Taqa (formerly known as ADDC) is Dh1,000 ($272). It is usual to pay such sums to utility companies and then to reclaim them on vacating a property. Alternatively, a deposit can be transferred to a different property. It is also standard practice for this sum to be paid to a local bank account in UAE dirhams. On its website, Taqa states:

First report: I spent a year abroad in my 20s and thought it cured my anxiety. I was wrong, but full-time travel helps me live with it. — businessinsider.com, 13d