Consumer complaint received 2017-12-12
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CT
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage

Complaint:
I am a current client of Citi Mortgage and have been since 2002. In XXXX I decided to refinance the mortgage with Citi ( for a second time ). The process was coordinated through XXXX XXXX at Citi Mortgage. I was initially rejected for reasons that apparently had to do with an apartment I was in the process of selling ( mortgage on that apartment was also with Citi Mortgage ). The apartment sold on XXXX XXXX and we agreed to reactivate the refinancing application at that time. 

The process was extraordinarily cumbersome and slow and I began to suspect that there was some form of prejudice involved. I was constantly requested to provide additional documentation and my employer was hounded continually. My suspicions grew out of the unreasonable requests for information, seemingly from the underwriter, that totally disregarded my 15 year history as a client of Citi Mortgage. Essentially, I was subjected to an almost criminal-like treatment. 

I became concerned about the unreasonable length of this application process, especially considering the XXXX data breach in XXXX of this year. I indicated via email to XXXX XXXX of my concerns, noting that I wanted to place a credit freeze on my accounts and needed to close the refinancing as expeditiously as possible. I did not receive an immediate response and, in fact, had to re-send the message before I finally was assured that closing on the refinancing was imminent. 

It was not until early XXXX that my suspicions appeared more based in reality - I reached out to the originator, XXXX XXXX, and even he admitted via email message dated XXXX XXXX ( that he tried to recall ) that he " was beginning to see and understand my frustrations ''. All email correspondence associated with this mortgage application, has been well archived. 

I finally had enough of this unwarranted treatment and withdrew my application on XXXX XXXX. Subsequently, I received phone calls from XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, apparently apologizing. I told them both that I totally disgusted with how I had been treated and how the application had been so grossly mishandled by Citi. 

Given their negligence and apparent prejudice in handling my application, I demanded a full refund of my application fee and confirmation of the supervisors managing the individuals responsible for botching such an utterly flawed application process. 

I finally received a letter dated XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX from the Executive Response Unit ( she provided no contact details beyond the return address on the envelope - XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, MO XXXX ). She confirmed that a refund of the {$350.00} was executed " as a customer service gesture ''. The rest of the contents of the letter were totally " XXXX ''. 

I wish to pursue this grievance against Citi and remain steadfast in my belief that they acted in a prejudicial manner. The reference cited by XXXX XXXX in her letter of XXXX XXXX - # XXXX. 

Please feel free to contact me. Thank you and regards

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation