ARTICLE
23 August 2017

UAE Legal Q&As: Debtor Asks What Action A Bank Can Pursue When A Loan Goes Unpaid

AM
Dr Hassan Elhais

Contributor

Dr. Elhais, with his vast legal expertise spanning family, arbitration, banking, commercial, company, criminal, inheritance, labour, and maritime law, is dedicated to providing top-tier legal solutions. As an integral member of the team at Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy in Dubai, he contributes to the firm's mission of delivering comprehensive legal counsel across the UAE. The team, as a whole, is committed to maintaining the highest levels of integrity, confidentiality, and discretion. Initially making his mark in criminal and public law, Dr. Hassan made the decision to move to Dubai in 2006, marking a significant step in his legal career. Since joining Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy, he has been an active contributor to the firm's growth and reputation. Dr. Hassan is known for his dedication to transparency in legal dealings and fee structures, a reflection of his solid ethical values.
I took out a bank loan and gave them a cheque as a guarantee. Now though, I am not able to pay the loan and the bank is threatening to file a case against me.
United Arab Emirates Finance and Banking

Question: I took out a bank loan and gave them a cheque as a guarantee. Now though, I am not able to pay the loan and the bank is threatening to file a case against me. What are the potential cases they could file and what would be the expected outcome?

Answer: If the bank tries to cash the cheque and there are insufficient funds, they may file a case against you for a bounced cheque, under article 401 of the UAE Criminal Procedures Law, which states that "detention or a fine shall be imposed upon anyone who, in bad faith, gives a cheque without a sufficient and drawable balance or who, after giving a cheque, withdraws all or part of the balance, making the balance insufficient for settlement of the cheque, or if he orders a drawee not to cash a cheque or makes or signs the cheque in a manner that prevents it from being cashed". Also, the bank may request that the court imposes provisional attachment on your property, in accordance with article 252 of the above law. If a judge grants this provisional attachment, it may be imposed without you knowing about it, in accordance with article 259 of the same law. In addition, the bank has the right to file for a travel ban on you and make a commercial claim of the cheque value in addition to interest at 12 per cent from the date of the cheque, plus court charges and attorney fees.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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