Consumer complaint received 2017-03-02
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting
Issue: Credit reporting company's investigation
Sub-issue: Problem with statement of dispute

Complaint:
I made an on line transaction towards lodging in Hawaii. I then immediately noticed that the merchants website did not state if the units had air conditioning in them. So I then proceeded to do a chat on line with the merchant. I specifically asked them if the unit I had just booked had air conditioner or not. I stated to them that if the unit did not have an air conditioning in it, it then posed a health problem for my kids. The customer service representative then proceeded to tell me that there was nothing in the website that identified if the unit had air conditioner in it. So she took my information and told me that she would look into it and get back to me the following day. At the same time I called my credit card company and awarded them of the issue. The credit card company proceeded to assure me not to worry and that everything 's going to be fine. The transaction was n't even posted for them to see in my credit card activity. I believe it took several days for it to finally show up so that then they could begin the dispute process. I continued to maintain open lines of communication with both the merchant and the creditor. The credit company continued to assure me that I should n't have to pay for services not rendered to me and gave me a credit back to my card. The merchant however sat on it and allowed time to be of essence. To the point of lying to me about whom the manager was and pretty much shut the doors on my issue. Disregarding any ownership of lack of information on the website including poor follow up on their part. I contacted my credit company and awarded them of the situation including all lies coming from the merchant. At this point my creditor told me that they would continue with the investigation and again assured me that they where going to take care it. A few months went by and I received a letter from my creditor stating that they had concluded not to credit me the full amount charged due to merchants booking policy 's. I called the creditor and then read the customer statement printed on the back of the statement. That states that if at any time I as a customer am dissatisfied with the charges on my account I have the right not to pay. I read this statement to one of the managers and she then proceeded to refer me to their insurance benefits company/department. She stated that they would be able to help me based on medical grounds that I fit the profile. So I called the benefits insurance staff and I complied with the documents required and a few weeks later I was sent a letter stating that due to improper words stating the issue. They decided not to authorize coverage. To be specific. I sent 2 separate doctors letter stating that both my kids have a long term medical condition that interfered with traveling plans and therefore cancelling trip scheduled. 
Apparently those letters are not sufficient enough. I need to add that prior to filling such a claim I asked specifically what the letters consisted of and required as a doctors statement.

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