Your unfinished formalities can have legal repercussions.
Published: Sun 18 Feb 2018, 3:00 PM
Updated: Mon 28 May 2018, 1:36 PM
It is common to hear tales about expats facing consequences for not completing their closure formalities before leaving Dubai. As you know by now, you did months of planning before relocating to Dubai. Similarly, leaving Dubai cannot be an overnight decision and needs to be thought out and well planned. It is crucial as your unfinished business can have legal repercussions.
It is better to plan your exit forehand so that you have enough time to sort your legalities. We bring to you a definite guide to follow before exiting the country.
Sorting your work contract
Notify your employer well in advance if you are quitting before your contract ends. You might have to complete the notice period or pay in lieu of it. If your contract is coming to an end, hand over your passport to your employer to cancel your residence visa. Do it in due time as it could delay your departure or the immigration system could flag your name in their list. Get your final payout sorted with your employer. For any dispute, contact the Ministry of Labour instead of the embassy. Your medical insurance will be cancelled and cards need to be returned to the employer.
Bank formalities
Before closing your bank account, you need to make sure you have paid all the outstanding bills, payments, ECS payments, loans and post-dated cheques. If your account was opened by your employer, notify them to follow the procedure after your last salary has been credited to your account. Simply head to the bank during your last month and complete the closing formalities. If there aren't any liabilities, the account can be closed on the spot.
Caution: You cannot just empty your bank account and leave as your account can incur a monthly fee if the balance is zero. You might be in for a surprise the next time you visit the country.
Sort your property
If you stay in a rented property, you should give the required notice period mentioned in your contract by the landlord. If you need an extension of a month or more, you need to renew your contract accordingly. In cases where you end your contract with the landlord and are moving out, return the keys to the landlord and collect any outstanding deposits you might be entitled to.
If you own a property in Dubai and wish to sell or rent it out, it would be best to engage the services of an agent before you leave. You would need to issue a power of attorney to your agent authorising him to look for prospective tenants.
Caution: Leaving the apartment without informing your landlord can incur you a huge expense. There have been cases where the contract has auto renewed after completion of the stipulated year and the tenant was held responsible for non-payment.
Get your utilities in order
Before leaving, you might need to cancel your contracts with the mobile phone operator, internet and television providers. Usually, there would be a refundable deposit attached to these services. Do not forget to collect them. Cancel newspaper, water vendor or other services that are delivered to your doorstep.
In the last few days, inform the DEWA department to cancel your electricity and water connection and get your deposit back. Make sure to keep the original receipts.
Caution: An un-cancelled DEWA account can incur you the default monthly expense that you will be liable to pay.
Bonus tips:
a. If you have bought furniture that you need to get rid of before leaving, try posting them online and sell it. Dubai has a vast pre-owned market online. You can also post an ad here.
b. If you own a car, sell it before leaving. If you haven't managed to sell it, authorize a relative or agent a power of attorney to sort it in your absence.
c. If you are packing and carrying too many suitcases, it will be economical to ask the airline the cost of additional baggage and upgrade cost. You might as well get an upgrade if they offer more baggage.
d. Keep copies of all original documents handy or upload it on cloud for easy access.
anita@khaleejtimes.com
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