Fun fact, the credit bureau problem is a real thing in the GCC. So in states like Qatar, many people (I think the majority local citizens) caused enough proble

Fun fact, the credit bureau problem is a real thing in the GCC. So in states like Qatar, many people (I think the majority local citizens) caused enough problems the Central Bank has put many limitations on when people can take out loans. Friends who have long standing here indicate to me certain families still have banks look the other way, as it risky to dare check their eligibility. Many people here take out loans, get into arrears, and then go to court and keep negotiating down the debt owed arguing personal problems (I have lots of kids and mouths to feed and business is bad), and keep paying a few payments over the restructured agreement to ignore it again, go back to court, and keep negotiating the amount owed down. Not sure true this is, but I am told for many locals running business this is common knowledge. Ironically, as an expat, the restrictions got very tight because people would just flee, and now you can only leave the country for good once you have a no objection letter, meaning no bank over the course of a week can present you owe debt. This can get nasty, like the unemployed Irish dude in the neighboring UAE who lives in his car because he had nowhere to stay, no job, and selling his car would not even get him out of debt. Granted, locals and expats alike are incredibly irresponsible, but the lack of credit bureau and honest reporting makes me wonder what America was like in the "good old old days" where creds got you what you wanted.