Consumer complaint received 2021-08-15
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
I bought white oak flooring with installation from a Merchant called XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$12000.00}. Floor was installed on XXXX and sanded and sealed on XXXX and XXXX. Citi Rewards card was used for this purchase and charge went through on XXXX to XXXX billing statement. In late XXXX to early XXXX the new wood floor started to warp and cup everywhere. Floor merchant was called back to house and they agreed to fix it because this damage happens due to a faulty installation. ( They failed to follow industry standards and check job site conditions by assuring that the moisture level in new purchased wood was acclimated to house subfloor ). I called Citi Rewards card to get information on possibly filing a dispute. I called 2 times and was told by customer service that with this service, I had one year after billing date to dispute the charge and they said that if my dealings with letting merchant fix issue were unsuccessful then they gave the the date to dispute charge by. 
I worked with the merchant and they did one or two attempts to fix issue and then I wouldnt hear back from them for up to 4 months at a time. Meanwhile, floor is still cupped and warped. My issue is that I purchased a NEW product and their fixing it would leave me with a refurbished product. 
I called Citi by the deadline to initiate the dispute and was told that I could initiate it by XXXX so I submitted my original dispute and I got a letter stating that they opened a dispute on XXXX ( which I was told by representatives from Citibank that I had to have it done by end of XXXX. They then opened another dispute on XXXX XXXX in which I provided all the dates and facts and other merchant opinions proving their faulty installation. 
I then heard from Citibank Rewards card that the dispute should have been made within 60 days. That is hard to do with wood floor installations because warping sometimes takes longer than 60 days to show. At any rate, the fact is that I was told by two different Citi representatives of the date that I needed to dispute charge by and it was 1 year after the charge ( one year plus next billing cycle after charge was made, NOT 60 days! 
I requested that they go back over the recorded phone conversations that I had with THEIR employees to prove what I was told. They need to be accountable for what they tell customers customer service agents with Citibank need to be educated and trained on company policies. I should not be held accountable for their incompetence. 
I am seeking my refund that was requested for this purchase using My Citibank card and it it has to come out of Citi funds itself because their employees have false information then so be it. 
Please help with this situation. Citibank has all the dispute documents, contracts and backup merchant opinions and wood floor guidelines and Wood floor association standards that I submitted for proof of failure of my purchase with the merchant.

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