Desk research against primary sources. Figures are traced to the issuing UAE authority and linked on the page.
What actually happens after a bounce runs on two separate tracks. The landlord’s civil claim is about recovering the missed rent and can proceed regardless of your state of mind. A criminal case only follows if fraudulent intent is proven — issuing a cheque you knew had no funds behind it — which is a much higher bar since the 2020 reform than a cheque that bounced because of a banking mix-up.
The cheque-issuing ban sits alongside both tracks rather than replacing either of them — it is an administrative consequence tied to your banking history, not a punishment substituting for the civil claim. Because the landlord can move on the case immediately, the practical priority is covering the rent shortfall and communicating in writing as soon as you know a cheque will bounce, rather than waiting to see whether a criminal complaint follows.