Consumer complaint received 2020-05-16
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: IL
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
Complaint - Denial of medical short sale with signed sales contract with cash offer and medical documentation. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Real estate attorney submitted a signed sales contract with a cash offer of {$230000.00} for a short-sale to Citibank Mortgage for my documented medical condition. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Buyer 's lease expired and needed a place to live and agreed to rent our home from us for the cost of the mortgage during the short sale process. Taxes were not included and we could not afford to pay them. We could only maintain paying our 2nd mortgage of {$220.00}. 

XX/XX/XXXX - We moved across the country, which did provide a more stable climate. I noticed physical results nearly immediately and I did have a better quality of life. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Our attorney contacted us stating Citibank denied the short-sale. Our attorney indicated they could appeal the decision to the next level. We agreed to proceed. 

XX/XX/XXXX - We were contacted by our attorney to inform us of a second denial. Our attorney said he could escalate the file again. We agreed to do so, as we did not believe Citibank was paying attention to the medical reason, and Citibank was only focusing on the lack of lateness of our payment given the current situation of that time. 

XX/XX/XXXX - We were told by our attorney, that Citibank denied the case again and did not want to see this file again until it is 3 months late. This confirmed to us, my medical condition was not in consideration which was the only reason for the sale. 

This entire time we were inundated with multiple requests for the same forms/documents that were sent in MULTIPLE times, or Citibank constantly had a change in our account specialist and they seemed to need all the documents resubmitted and we were starting all over again, MULTIPLE times. We tried to explain we're trying to do the right thing by obtaining a buyer for our home & ask for forgiveness due to my sudden ongoing medical condition. Citibank told us to default on the loan in order to be considered. We followed their instruction and wrecked our credit in the process. Then we started getting collection and foreclosure notices due to us following THEIR instruction. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Our buyer was getting weary with the whole short sale situation. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Our CASH buyer got tired of waiting and told us that they are looking for another house. Funny, XX/XX/XXXX, I got a letter from Citibank that the file was complete and we could expect an answer in 30 days. However, just on XX/XX/XXXX, they sent a list of 8 things they still needed. I don't think this is coincidence but Citibank learned that our buyer pulled out and Citibank just covering their paper trail. 

SUMMARY : We did the right, responsible thing in securing a buyer but ultimately Citibank gave us an ultimatum to move back and confirm once we arrived for them to work with us or destroy our future because I had an ILLNESS that was beyond controlling with medications. After moving back to the home, we had to do a re-modification of our loan, and that has hurt us further. The " trial '' period was still considered late on your credit. Our mortgage was sold twice now since XXXX, XXXX. However, my physical health is getting worse being in the climate we live, and we need to sell our home but can't as we can't pay a realtor fee just to break even. I believe what Citibank did to this family was wrong on so many levels. 1st we are responsible people which on XX/XX/XXXX my husband and my credit scores were XXXX & XXXX, now we're hovering around XXXX from the only late 's on our credit, Citibank. 2nd, we have paid well over {$10000.00} in medical bills for me since we weren't allowed to short-sale our home, and we had to pay twice to move across the country when it should have only been once and will be a third time now at some point. 3rd, the home that we planned to purchase was {$240000.00} in XXXX, now it is {$350000.00}. 4th, I suffer daily because Citibank would not let us short-sale our home responsibly and Citibank acted as if they were MY DOCTOR.

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