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Dubai: Soiled and torn currency notes are making shopping difficult for many residents.
Most shops reject currency notes that are in bad condition, complain residents.
A Dubai resident said he got a Dh50 note as change from a cashier after paying for his groceries.
"I used that currency at other shops, but they would not accept it. I was told that banks are not accepting such notes," the resident said.
Bankers said people have the right to reject soiled or torn currency. Mohammad Al Ghufaili, branch manger of Sharjah Islamic Bank, said: "Generally people don't know what to do with currency notes which are in bad condition."
ATMs too don't accept such notes, Al Ghufaili said.
"ATMs will not recognise such currency," he said. People also face a problem using even slightly soiled notes while paying their telephone bills at etisalat bill payment machines in shopping malls.
"I tried many times to pay my telephone bill at bill payment machines but the notes often bounced back," said a resident.
Another resident said a taxi driver refused to take a torn Dh10 because it was fixed with tape. "I don't know what to do with that money," he said.
A coffee shop owner said some customers pay using soiled or torn currency notes. "If we reject that note, they tell us that they don't have any other money, forcing us to accept the damaged note," he said. A banker said some shops accept damaged currency notes for less than the actual amount.
"Some shops take a torn Dh20 note for Dh19," said the banker.
Banks generally accept such notes from individuals or companies provided the person or the company has an account with the bank.
"Banks usually accept spoiled or torn currency notes from their own customers," said the branch manager of Sharjah Islamic Bank.
Al Ghufaili said banks send damaged notes to the Central Bank, which replaces them.
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