I am writing because I have tried to complain to FGB’s customer service department, but have received no solution at all. On the contrary, the case was closed on the next day, without any solution.
I had a loan with FGB and a credit card. I got a better offer with a much lower rate from another bank, and they offered me to close my loan, if I transfer my salary to them.
I requested for a liability letter from FGB. The customer service representative there knew the whole story, and tried to offer me the same rate, so that they would not lose me. I told them that I had made up my mind, and asked them to proceed with the liability letter, as I would not change my mind.
They said that after I close the loan, I would get a clearance letter.
The representative at the Corniche branch in Abu Dhabi, told me that a liability letter takes 10 days to be processed, while a representative at Al Salam branch said it would take two weeks. I knew that they were trying to save some time, so I didn’t comment, as long as there was a difference of only a couple of days. After visiting the bank a few times, I finally got the liability letter, in exactly 14 days.
Then, they directed me to a banker so that I could sign an application for settlement of loan and apply for clearance. After we signed, the banker asked the representative how many days it takes for a clearance letter? She said 10 days initially, but when he looked at her, she said ‘maybe two weeks’. It looks like they just wanted to push us to our limit, just because I was leaving the bank, and they were very rude, too. So, we left.
I called FGB’s customer service, and the representative said the clearance should take a maximum 10 days. I asked her to raise a complaint, and she said that someone would call me in one day.
On the next day, the same rude representative called to tell me that they could not issue a clearance letter, because the credit card was not settled. I asked her why she didn’t tell me this earlier? Her answer was that she had just received mail stating that this could not happen, and she didn’t know earlier.
I went to the bank to talk to the manager, but obviously, she said the same thing, and that this was the bank’s rule. I suggested removing my credit card from my salary connection, so that I could pay for it separately, but she refused to do so, saying she could not help.
I just don’t understand this bank. Where is the logic? If I knew this was the case from the beginning, I wouldn’t have waited for so long.
From Ms Widad Shams Al Deen
Abu Dhabi
Ms Shams Al Deen updates:
Now, the bank has asked me to clear the credit card. Before I applied for a liability letter for the credit card, the call centre representative told me that after clearance, it would take one week, if the other bank pays off the credit card.
I applied for a liability letter, and received a call that the letter should be ready in Al Salam branch. It was my day off but I had to wake up and drive for one hour to go to the bank, and then they said it was not ready. I left when the customer service representatives couldn’t help. When I left, I called the customer service hotline, and they said the letter was ready. Where is the letter? No one knows. I went back the next day and finally received the letter.
Then, I called customer service, and asked again about clearance. Now, they have changed their statement and said clearance would be done in 14 days, after the bank gives me a guarantee.
The problem is that the policy is not aligned, and based on each case, the representative says there is a different policy. One time, it is one week, and another time, 14 days.
The management of FGB responds:
FGB is grateful for all customer feedback to which we give careful consideration as we strive to consistently deliver the highest standards of service. The bank has been in contact with Ms Shams Al Deen, and the matter has been resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Ms Shams Al Deen responds:
Customer service has called me and yes, they have issued the clearance letter sooner than expected, but blocked the cash guarantee for another 45 days, which they had not informed me about earlier.
Thanks a lot for the help and getting my message through.
(Process initiation: June 29. Response from organisation: July 5. Response from reader: July 6.)
