Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

Fair play. If only all companies (and employees) were so sensible.

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

My company provided an IP phone with a US number so I can call them for free. Added bonus: my entire family lives in the same region so those calls are free.

I'd never heard of an IP phone but this thing is wonderful.

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

Wow. Damn my local package I have to pay for everything.

Still, I don't really see the difference between having an allowance or a larger salary. A larger salary is better as you get the end of service benefit and a choice on where it is spent.

Company provided accomodation is something else - and different from an allowance - company provided accomodation means that they take the risk of rental increases but you are at the mercy of your employer... I know of some who where kicked out of Al Raha villas to be put into flats on the Island.

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

oh dear. Sounds like I'm gonna have to wait and see what they have to say next week and keep my fingers crossed we can find a job for my wife. I am still shocked to see how expensive the region is, I have to admit I thought it would be really really cheap and that my salary would be mostly banked. connected point, If I keep my mortgage running here in the UK, and transfer the payment back on a monthly basis, where do I stand with TAX? I stay ina small country town in Scotland, and took a rather large mortage, paying +/- £ 1k GBP p/month in Mortgage/Deposit Loan, however only likely to get +/- £300 GBP p/month in rental. Penalty is so high to get out of the Mortgage deal that I can't afford to sell it before Sept 2010. However all subject to any tax implications of sending money back regularly while abroad. Does anyone do this?

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

you have to be out of country for a whole tax year in order to not pay tax. so if you come out now you have to start from april next year, so a year and a half then instead of one year. not sure with regarding mortage etc.

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

i dont know why people think its cheap here, look at the price of rents. 250k dhs for a little house:(

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

indeed - also how over priced stuff is in the shops.

The only things cheap here are nann breads and petrol.

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

Assuming you are out for a complete tax year April 5th 2010 until April 6th 2011 and do not go back to the UK for more than 90 days per year you should not pay income tax.
Moving money back to the UK to pay your mortgage should not be taxed either. You only get taxed on interest earned in the UK.
One of the Tax Guru's on here can give you more acurate advise.

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

Ah OK, so if I transfer amounts back to the UK to cover the mortgage only (and not into any savings accounts), then it would appear to be OK?

Are the banks rates decent enough for sending transfers back to the UK, or would any of you recommend another agency/company?

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

Right I am out of my comfort zone here and you should check with someone more knowledgable but as far as I am aware you can still use you personal allowance in the UK. So that covers you for 6 grandish of interest and if you open a normal savings account you will be paying the 20% as normal anyway unless you can open it paid gross instead of net.
Not sure about the best way to transfer but most people (from what I have read on here) just do a direct bank transfer to their UK account. You will have to pay a transfer fee and of course watch out for the exchange rate which has moved a lot since the pound has improved.
If you can open an account with the same bank as in the UK I think the transfer costs are cheaper.
Right best shut up now, sit back and wait to be shot down. :o

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

The best (cheapest and best rate) is to use UAEexchange, just turn up with a wad of cash, your passport and join the queue...

I generally find the rate is 5-7% better than HSBC and the same day charge is 60Dh, compared to 100ish with HSBC

They will handle any amount of money, I once took 300,000Dh there in 1000Dh notes, no problem, no questions asked...

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

There is a form you can fill out to declare your non-resident status and then you don't have to pay tax on interest either.

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

OK so I can turn up with a bag of cash at one of the UAEexchange places and they will convert and transfer the money to my UK account?

I had assumed that the UAEexchange places just converted one currency in cash to another i.e like at the airport.

Should I be concerned about giving them my Bank details to transfer the money ?

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

Exactly that. It's called "bank to bank"

I must admit I was nervous the first time, but I have used them several times now without a problem (I always go to the same girl and she is always amused by the amounts as most customers send 200Dh etc). The best bit is that you can ask for 'volume discounts' and negotiate the rate. I always take my blackberry for live pricing as a tool in this.

Depending of the day of week and timing of cut offs the same day service may take a day and a half.

They even gave me a membership card so I no longer have to take my passport or bank details along with me.

If you are really nervous about them having your bank details, send the money to a 'holding account' and then do a separate UK-UK transfer from there. That way they would only have the details of a bank account with nothing in (not that they can do anything with your details anyway)

Re: Potential Job Offer - Abu Dhabi
 

Thanks for the info EM
I will go along there and give it a go as I have been amassing a surplus in my local account and would like to put it to good use in the UK earning me some interest. Besides which it has to get there at sometime in the next year anyway.
Regarding being nervous about them having my bank details, I supposed I am influenced by all the information around internet scams whereby people try and get hold of your bank details so giving them out freely is a bit nerve racking.

If I can get a better rate this way then it looks the way forward as the rate through the bank is not that good and the exchange rate seems to have got worse ever since I arrived. :frown: