Abu dhabi: The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) organised its first customer council meeting to address the mortgage release process following loan repayment. The meeting aimed to enhance service efficiency, improve transparency, and gather feedback from beneficiaries.
According to Emirates News Agency, the initiative underscores the Ministry's dedication to customer-centric service development and ongoing enhancement of housing-related procedures, aligning with national smart government objectives. The council included representatives from federal and local government entities, Emirates Development Bank, and a range of customers, focusing on the primary challenges that previously complicated the mortgage release procedure.
Issues highlighted included the necessity for multiple visits, inconsistencies in required documents across emirates, and a lack of digital integration among relevant entities, all of which extended the customer journey and increased procedural burdens.
Council members proposed a new integrated model of the enhanced customer journey, designed according to digital government principles. This model signifies a move from a traditional service approach to a seamless experience prioritizing flexibility and excellence. Initially, the model will be trialed in Ajman before its broader application across other emirates.
Key improvements introduced include automatic cancellation of direct debit by the Emirates Development Bank upon loan repayment, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The new model also removes the requirement for in-person visits in certain emirates to collect loan guarantees, further simplifying the customer process.
The initiative also activates digital integration between the Ministry, the bank, and the Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation in the Government of Ajman, facilitating automatic notification of all relevant parties upon transaction completion. These modifications significantly reduce the service completion time to a single working day from the date of repayment, marking a fundamental shift in the service delivery cycle.
The new mortgage release service exemplifies governmental integration, reducing the customer journey by up to 100 percent, eliminating all in-person visits and required documents. This transformation aligns with the UAE Government's commitment to Zero Bureaucracy, turning government services into seamless, customer-focused experiences.
Eng. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at MoEI, addressed council members, stating, "The Customer Council meeting aligns with the UAE Government's vision of building flexible and smart government services that place the customer at the heart of improvement and development. It reflects our commitment to involving customers in decision-making and enhancing transparency."
Eng. Mohammed Bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the UAE Government, stressed that customer councils play a crucial role in the efforts to achieve zero bureaucracy, serving as a direct source for understanding real-world challenges. He highlighted that the mortgage release service represents a significant advance in integration between federal and local entities.
Eng. Omar bin Omair Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation in Ajman, noted that participation in the first customer council aligns with strategic partnerships with MoEI and ongoing joint efforts to enhance the real estate sector and government efficiency through proactive service packages.