- What's the bank's policy on issuing a liability letter?
- Can customers get a liability letter issued under their name?
- Bank have issued the liability letter on an exceptional basis
Complaint
I have an account with Emirates NBD (ENBD). I requested a liability letter under my name at the bank’s Airport Branch, Al Maktoum Road. They did not give me the letter and said as per the company policy they cannot issue it on my name.
I called ENBD call centre and requested for my liability letter. They said they can do it and provide me under my name also but only if my salary is below Dh9,000. For more than Dh9,000 I have to visit the branch.
On May 30, I visited ENBD, Sharjah branch. I spoke to a personal banking advisor. He said he cannot give me the liability letter under my name as it’s an internal circular by ENBD not to issue liability letter under the customer’s name. I asked him to show me that because as per Central Bank it’s my right to get a letter in my name. He said ‘no’, he can’t show. Then he directed me to his senior, who told me the same thing.
I spoke to a personal banking advisor. He said he cannot give me the liability letter under my name...
All of them told me it’s a bank policy that they cannot issue. I told them that the Central Bank is the standard to be followed by all banks.
One day before I got the liability letter on my name from Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank with no harassment. But ENBD has been creating issues with me for a simple liability letter on my name.
Then she said she can try raising a request for me. She tried six times on the system and did not raise a request. She took a manual form and took my signature and said I should get a message in 30 minutes. I got a system message of request in the evening of May 30. I called on June 2, requesting to provide it urgently. I called back to follow up, but there is no update from them. Please Gulf News look into it and get me this letter from ENBD.
According to ENBD, a Liability Letter states all the active liabilities a customer has with the bank.
From Ms Nikita Sinha
Sharjah
The management of ENBD responds: We are pleased to inform you that our Group Customer Experience team has been in touch with Ms Nikita Sinha and provided her with the necessary clarifications and the matter is resolved to her satisfaction.
We would like to clarify that a liability letter is usually issued for the purpose of a buyout (transfer the debt from/to other financial institutions) and hence, should be addressed to the concerned financial institution. Liability letters are prepared with certain details based on the type of the entity it is addressed to.
Furthermore, we would like to clarify that the Bank has stopped issuing liability letters addressed to the customer’s name due to the increase in the number of complaints as a result of its incorrect usage. Since Ms Sinha requested for the letter to be issued in her name, we have issued the letter on an exceptional basis while clarifying that it cannot be used for buyout purposes.
We would like to reiterate our commitment to providing superior service to our customers and thank you for your continuous support in providing us with the opportunity to resolve their issues.
Ms Sinha responds: Yes, it is resolved and the speed they took in providing a letter after contacting Gulf News is really appreciated. Gulf News does really have a stand on right things, and I am happy that UAE has got a team like you, which listens to its readers. I am sure if this bank starts responding this way to each customer like they do after Gulf News contacts them, this will retain lots of customers.
(Process initiation: June 12. Response from organisation: June 18. Reader confirmation: June 20.)
Editor’s note: Do you have similar issues that you would like to raise with us? You can write to us at readers@gulfnews.com.
