Your complaints: Readers' issues resolved

Unfair deductions

I have come to read in Gulf News a number of complaints against banks, most of which have been ultimately resolved. I am hoping to resolve an issue regarding my car loan with Emirates NBD. The terms of payment oblige me to pay Dh707 per month for five years. The first instalment was paid on December 1, 2007 and the loan was to be fully cleared on November 1, 2012. I issued 60 cheques to Emirates NBD. Four years into the loan, my job enabled me to set aside sufficient money to clear it ahead of schedule and I decided to save myself some of the loan costs.

I cleared all outstanding payments towards the car by paying Dh10,791 (cheque 45) on August 10, 2011. Yet the bank has still been deducting Dh707 per month for almost three months now. I have repeatedly visited the manager concerned at the bank's collections department about this issue, but it seems that he is not interested in helping me. His subordinate usually promises assistance and asks me to come back. I have kept going back to their office for almost three months now. I hope Gulf News can help me. I am finding it difficult to sleep thinking about this issue.
From Mr Robert Calimlim
Abu Dhabi

The management of Emirates NBD responds:

We are pleased to inform Gulf News that the concerned department contacted Mr Calimlim and resolved his complaint. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Gulf News and the customer for providing us with feedback and we regret the inconvenience caused. We thank Gulf News' for its continuous support and valued efforts.

Mr Calimlim responds:

I appreciate your kindness and effort in helping me resolve my problem.

Insurance policy

I am a loyal customer of Mashreq bank and have held a home loan account with them since March 2007. On March 14, 2011, my account was debited for Dh3,332.28 to cover my life insurance policy without my knowledge and consent. When I received the statement and noticed the charges, I immediately logged a complaint with the bank. I informed them that I am already covered with another insurance firm. The officer in charge asked me for proof that I had such cover and demanded premium payment receipts. So I emailed them all the necessary documents within 15-20 days as per their requirements.

After communicating through numerous emails for close to six months, they returned Dh1,873.13 into my account (short by Dh1,459.15) on September 27, 2011, saying they had credited my account on a pro-rata basis. As a customer, I do not understand this complicated language. I only know that Dh3,332.28 was wrongly debited from my account and that I should get back the same amount.

Furthermore, I have sent them more than seven mails during the past two months without ever getting a reply. I am frustrated. This is my third experience of being wrongly charged at the same bank. Therefore, I request Gulf News to please follow up this issue with Mashreq and help me get my money back. I would like to thank Gulf News in advance and look forward to the outcome.
From Mr Girish Gusani
Dubai

The management of Mashreq responds:

We would like to thank Gulf News for sharing Mr Girish Gusani's letter with us.

Mr Gusani has a mortgage with Mashreq and, as per the contractual agreement, it is mandatory for customers to be covered for life with an insurance policy as well as property insurance. As per the loan agreement, Mr Gusani was charged with the annual premium of Dh3,332.280 in March 2011.

Mr Gusani contacted the bank in April 2011 regarding this debit from his account and communicated that he already has an external insurance policy. Therefore, we requested for the proof of premium payments for validation purposes. In July 2011, Mr Gusani was able to provide the required documents, thus we have processed to cancel the group insurance policy in the bank, which was active on his account. Subsequently, we arranged the refund of Dh1,873.13, which is the balance of the period remaining in his initial policy, which he will not utilise given that he has an external insurance policy.

Furthermore, we are pleased to share that as we value Mr Gusani's relationship with Mashreq, we have communicated a satisfactory solution to him based on a gesture of goodwill. We thank Gulf News for bringing this to our notice and seeking clarification.

Mr Gusani responds:

I'd like to thank Gulf News so much for its help and intervention. I got a call from a Mashreq employee who explained everything and they confirmed that they are going to reverse all the remaining charges of Dh1,459.15 as a goodwill gesture. I am so grateful to Gulf News because after fighting for almost nine months I got justice.

Editor's note: If you have similar consumer complaints and wish to raise them with the newspaper, write to us via email at readers@gulfnews.com