# Sad to leave Dubai, but it is time...!



## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

Hi,

My wife and I have made the hard decision to relocate back to the UK after 12 years. All 3 of our children were born in Dubai and treat Dubai as home. Many people have gone back home in the past 2 years, we have tried to find work but have little funds remaining. The fragile financial situation that Dubai is currently witnessing has effected our employment. If only the welfare system that we are accustomed to in the UK could help people like us who have worked continuously for the past 12 years with some level of support. If there is anyway we could stay while looking for a job that would be great. We dont want any hand outs, only the provision to stay longer while we both find new employment. Unfortunetly if you loose your job here in UAE, it is fact that you will told to leave the country once your visa expires.

Anyway, my point is.... does anybody know or can reccommend a good removal company. We need a reliable and cheap removal company to assist us with the move back to the UK.

Cheers


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## M.Sharaf (Nov 19, 2008)

sad to hear those news, 
good luck with the next ..

TC,


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## mfas2000 (Mar 8, 2010)

really Tragic...unless you can sk your company to give you a leeway to keep your visa valid for maybe one more month..not sure if yu have not dne that already...

Try Ocean Air Removals..they are professional


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## jamin (Jan 6, 2010)

Oh that's very sad for you all. However as you have made a success of it in Dubai I'm sure your situation will give you fresh direction full of opportunities and financial stability. It will be hard but hey look at what great life experiences you have already given your children with many more on the horizon I'm sure!
Good luck to you and your family for the move back.


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## titirangi (Aug 14, 2008)

12 years!! Wow you must have seen some sights over that timeframe. A 4 year veteran was telling me recently that when he arrived JLT/Marina/JBR/Palm did not exist just desert on either side of the road and only building was hard rock cafe.

Good luck to you.


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## Dannysigma (Feb 22, 2009)

Doree Bonner International back in the UK are partnered with Ahmed Saleh Packing here in Dubai - they are cheap, efficient and do door to door including packing and unpacking.

Hope everything gets better for you!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

titirangi said:


> 12 years!! Wow you must have seen some sights over that timeframe. A 4 year veteran was telling me recently that when he arrived JLT/Marina/JBR/Palm did not exist just desert on either side of the road and only building was hard rock cafe.
> 
> Good luck to you.


Four years ago there was no Palm or JLT, but the original part of the Marina was there (Marina Walk). Media City was also up and running, so the Hard Rock was not standing alone. Go back 10 years and the Hard Rock really was all on its own on a desert road. Your friend is exagerating somewhat.

-


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## Ossy (Feb 14, 2010)

Um you guys selling off anything? hehe


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Ossy said:


> Um you guys selling off anything? hehe


Terrible 

Good luck on your move! Hope you enjoy the next leg in this crazy thing called life you guys are about to trek on...


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

M.Sharaf said:


> sad to hear those news,
> good luck with the next ..
> 
> TC,


Thanks for your kind words.


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

Many tks. Will give them a call and request a quote....


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

Tks Jamin for for your kind words. Never expected any response let alone such kind words of wisdom.

cheers.


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

Absolutely! have seen some major changes since we arrived in Dubai. SZR has evolved into a mini New York and will hopefully prosper further just like the rest of the UAE. We are sad but not dejected, hence have the motivation to embark on our next move....

Our girls are happy kids and are ready to take on the UK with open arms.

Lets see how things pan out. Tks for your kind words.


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

Great, tks for the info. Called them earlier today. They are coming round on Thursday to give a quote. tks again.


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

u are correct, all of those areas were in existence in some shape or form about 4 years ago.


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

Well yes......If the price is right...? hehe 

That way we could buy new furniture when we go back. We have full furniture for a 3 bed apartment of 2000 Sqft. This includes kids furniture. 

Come to think of it I know the mangement very well of our apt and they will rent our apartment 2u at 120k with 4 cheuqes and not the 145-160k which they will ask if you went directly. Only 3 years old complex, 2 tennis courts, health club, golf course and shopping mall only 5 mins walk and airport 6 mins drive, and you cant hear a thing at night....! this is another reason why we are sad to leave.... we love the place we stay very much...

anyway, just a thought on whether u or anybody u may know maybe interested in renting a luxury apt that also has amazing views of Burj Khalifa..

tks.


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## RPG (Jul 16, 2008)

Hmmm, V. Interesting, Where is the aprt if you dont mind me asking?


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## oh! (Feb 24, 2010)

Well getting of the topic a little bit, but if you want to stick around a little more...look for another opportunity on the side or wait it out for things to improve...basically if Visa expiration is your major issue and not financial concerns, then have you thought about getting a small company or business registered in one of the free zones. This would give you some more time to stick around. I really can't say if you have savings or not but if you have been around for 12 years and at the same time not invested in any property, I am assuming or rather hoping that you might have built up some savings.

So this could be one way out if you really want to stay back here otherwise, things we know will bounce back here and you can always be coming back soon after all we all have gone through those umpteen wanted ads which prefer or rather require a lot of UAE work experience.


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

Thanks for the advice, however we had a small business on the side that included clients like His Highness Shk. Mohd (Ruler of Dubai) and his Children including hIS hIGHNESS Shk Hamdan. We had a small art business from the UK, we took this into a reputable mall and did very well. to cut a long story short we just starting breaking even and making profit and the mall managment increased the rent by 65%, yep...65%. We went to another mall and they too increased the rent by 35% after 3 months. We literally had no option but to wind down the business as the cost to keep it going was more than the income.

In a nutshell we have lived off the business visa since leaving full time employment, but have had to make the decision to leave before we have nothing. We have next to nothing now so its best we hang up our boots and go. We dont want to but the laws for running a bussiness are really weak and outdated. We are not like others who leave with debts and bounced cheques. We have honored all payments and now have no option but to leave. 

Oh, just to let you know, you have to pay money to close a business in Dubai.... wow...amazing considering most people close or wind down a business when they have no money left.

Regardless of what has happened to us we still believe that Dubai will recover and be a major force to be reckoned with but we will unfortunately have no part to play in it. Our girls consider UAE their home yet the government have no place or intent to allow expats to stay when times are hard. UAE will rebuild and be successfull once again but with a new generation. we have exhausted all monies while looking for a job but nothing has come in the past 18months. 

Have got a little side tracked but the point is be careful when starting any new enterprise here in Dubai. You could end up in jail for a genuine mistake of not honoring a cheque. They except no excuse for non payment of a cheque, you will find yourself behind bars. It happened to a friend we knew who genuinely had to leave the country for 1 week as his father passed away, on return at the airport he was arrested as a cheque he had isssued bounced. His father had just died! ...they were not interested in excuses. the authority said you should have made provisionsbefore leaving. Like I said his father had just died..

Live by the law and within your means in UAE, otherwise you will find it difficult. Anyway, the average time an expat spends in UAE has gone from 3 years to 4.5 years in the past 10 years. We have done over 10 years and hv no regrets. Enjoyed every moment. Its time to move on. the unfortunate thing is that the state does not assist expats. We are still considered outsiders regardless of our visa status.

once agin, thanks for the comments.

take care.


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

Al Badia, Dubai Festival City (Close to IKEA). tks.


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## titirangi (Aug 14, 2008)

weareleavingdubai said:


> Thanks for the advice, however we had a small business on the side that included clients like His Highness Shk. Mohd (Ruler of Dubai) and his Children including hIS hIGHNESS Shk Hamdan. We had a small art business from the UK, we took this into a reputable mall and did very well. to cut a long story short we just starting breaking even and making profit and the mall managment increased the rent by 65%, yep...65%. We went to another mall and they too increased the rent by 35% after 3 months. We literally had no option but to wind down the business as the cost to keep it going was more than the income.
> 
> In a nutshell we have lived off the business visa since leaving full time employment, but have had to make the decision to leave before we have nothing. We have next to nothing now so its best we hang up our boots and go. We dont want to but the laws for running a bussiness are really weak and outdated. We are not like others who leave with debts and bounced cheques. We have honored all payments and now have no option but to leave.
> 
> ...


man that sucks.

If ten year veterans can not make it work what chance do us noobs have...

Take care and travel well.


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## CYtoDubai (Mar 2, 2010)

Hi -

We are interested in a 3bd in Al Badia. How can we contact you to see the place? My son tested at Universal American today and we'd love to live close by. We are ready to move-in ASAP if we can arrange something.

Please let me know...

our email: the


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## jander13 (Mar 12, 2009)

> a genuine mistake of not honoring a cheque.


that's a pretty serious mistake though.


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## titirangi (Aug 14, 2008)

jander13 said:


> that's a pretty serious mistake though.


Not in europe, us, australia, rsa, nz, canada, uk, ireland, pretty much any developed country. In those countries a declined cheque is merely equivalent to the "insufficient funds" message you see at ATM if your account is skint. You do not go to jail and expose your family to huge risk (no sponsor) in a foreign country.

The current system appears to be based on extreme levels of counterparty risk normally found in much less developed countries. Dubai/Abu Dhabi are way way above this and so it is curious that this position remains intact.


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## jander13 (Mar 12, 2009)

> Not in europe, us, australia, rsa, nz, canada, uk, ireland, pretty much any developed country. In those countries a declined cheque is merely equivalent to the "insufficient funds" message you see at ATM if your account is skint. You do not go to jail and expose your family to huge risk (no sponsor) in a foreign country.


I don't know about that, I had a declined check when I lived in the States and consequences haunted me for the years to come but of course you don't go to jail or anything crazy like that.


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## Xpat (Nov 12, 2008)

Hey weareleavingdubai can u sell via consignment basis i.e u ive soembody to sell ur products . malls here are greedy as landlords, killing for penny. innovation will remain foreign in dubai as long as they dont reduce this price. Have u tried selling online?


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## Xpat (Nov 12, 2008)

P.S thought would be great to know about this post The Technium: 1,000 True Fans


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## Mohammeddin (Feb 24, 2010)

Good luck! It's a really sad situation


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## Vmoses (Sep 14, 2009)

Good luck.


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

*tks for the comment*



jander13 said:


> that's a pretty serious mistake though.


Agree, Like I said in an earlier thread. Come prepared and equipped with the rules on how to abide by the laws of the UAE and only then is the UAE a great place to live and bring up your children.

My point on the bounced cheque was that a bounced cheque in 95 per cent of the developed and emerging market countries is considered a civil case at worse. In the UAE it is a criminal offence. Stay within the law. The government has realised a need for an overhaul of this current system of treating a bounced cheque as a criminal offence. However...how long will it take? is anybody's guess...!

The sad part in the case noted in our thread was the concerned person went to attend the funeral of his parent, yet a genuine oversight left him on the wrong side of the law.

take care..
tks again for your comment


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

many thanks !


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

many thanks for the kind words!


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

titirangi said:


> Not in europe, us, australia, rsa, nz, canada, uk, ireland, pretty much any developed country. In those countries a declined cheque is merely equivalent to the "insufficient funds" message you see at ATM if your account is skint. You do not go to jail and expose your family to huge risk (no sponsor) in a foreign country.
> 
> The current system appears to be based on extreme levels of counterparty risk normally found in much less developed countries. Dubai/Abu Dhabi are way way above this and so it is curious that this position remains intact.


you are correct to state that it is unusual to have such an out dated & harsh method of managing bounced cheques. The government have realised that if the UAE is to be considered seriously on the global map, they would need to comply to several initiatives by world governing bodies including the Intl Monetary fund and world bank. Things will change, the point is how long will it take before serious damage is done to the economy and global sentiment on investing in the UAE.......


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## weareleavingdubai (Mar 8, 2010)

jander13 said:


> I don't know about that, I had a declined check when I lived in the States and consequences haunted me for the years to come but of course you don't go to jail or anything crazy like that.


my point exactly, consequences are there for all in such cases, no matter where you live. However jail is extremely harsh...! and in the case in my thread it was a genuine oversight by this concerned person that landed him in Jail!


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## RPG (Jul 16, 2008)

Did you ever find a suitable removal company???


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## indoMLA (Feb 6, 2011)

RPG said:


> Did you ever find a suitable removal company???


If you visit his/her public profile you will see the last activity was sometime in April 2010; I don't think they will respond. Better off doing another search or posting a thread for inquiries.


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