How Long Can a UAE Bank Take to Answer a Complaint?
Track the UAE bank complaint response deadline and prepare a clean record for escalation if the final written answer is late or inadequate.
The practical answer
Under the Central Bank consumer-protection rules, a licensed financial institution generally must send a final written response with detailed reasons within 30 business days of receiving a complaint, unless another period is prescribed. A service enquiry or branch conversation may not start that clock, so obtain a formal complaint reference.
How to handle it
1. Submit a complete formal complaint
Use the institution’s complaint channel and include account or policy reference, dates, disputed amount, evidence and requested remedy. Remove passwords and PINs.
2. Keep the acknowledgement
Save the complaint number, submission date and any classification. Ask the institution to confirm if it needs more information.
3. Track business days accurately
Record written updates and pause assumptions only when the institution identifies a legitimate dependency. Do not open many duplicate cases for the same issue.
4. Prepare an eligible escalation
If the final response is late or unsatisfactory, check Sanadak’s conditions and submit the complaint record, evidence and specific unresolved point.
Important: The 30-business-day rule is not a promise that every complaint will be upheld. Emergency fraud reporting and card blocking should happen immediately, not after the complaint deadline.
Before you act
The official rule requires detailed written reasons. Keep communication factual and distinguish the date of the disputed event from the later date the formal complaint was accepted.
Official source and review note
Dubai Daily Guide reviewed this article on 12 October 2026 against Central Bank of the UAE — Complaint Management and Resolution ↗. Check the live service before acting because eligibility, documents, fees and processing steps can change.