Consumer complaint received 2020-06-10
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: ALLIANT CREDIT UNION (VA)

I recently opened a credit card chargeback request of a transaction I made through Alliant Credit Union to a XXXX XXXX XXXX. I hired XXXX XXXX XXXX to do a pool renovation, and the job ceased due to XXXX breaching their contractual obligations and then walking away from the job. 

The contract between XXXX XXXX XXXX and me was to include thorough plaster prep. Plaster prep was to include chip out around fittings, acid washing the old plaster surface, chipping out under tile line, and lastly apply bonding agent on old plaster prior to new plaster installation. This was an agreed {$2000.00} itemized cost, {$1500.00} for prep and {$500.00} for XXXX XXXX. None of the wording in the agreement was debatable as to the work that was agreed to be done. 

Day one of preparation work, I am informed by XXXX XXXX XXXX that no chipping or grinding out under tile would be done due to risk to tile being damaged, this was the first I am told specific work wouldn't be performed. By not performing this cutting and chip out under tile is a material breach of contract from what was originally agreed upon. XXXX XXXX XXXX agreed that this needed to be done prior to showing up and then refusing to do the work in order to save time and money. For the cost incurred to prepare my pool for new plaster, this should have been brought to my attention before the day of. 

Also, the sub-contractor doing the preparation work informed me that he was instructed from XXXX XXXX XXXX to not do an acid wash. XXXX XXXX XXXX construction manager proceeded to tell me that no acid washing needed to be completed because the surface was " clean enough and wasn't green from algae, '' and only pressure washing was necessary. Skipping this step of thorough acid washing is not acceptable and another breach in contract. By not having a solid bond between new and old plaster creates risk of future damages, and not something to be risked for such little labor involved. To remedy objections, the construction manager used less than a single jug of acid, and did a superficial, sub-par, job of acid washing. By using less than a single jug of acid it did not sufficiently etch the surface material. 

XXXX XXXX the material I received which is used to bond old plaster to new was not used manufacturer guidelines. The product applied to my pool was very watered down and will not function as intended. 

The reason I had to initiate a chargeback is due to the breach in contract from XXXX XXXX XXXX and their failing to perform contractual obligations. Contract was breached when no chipping out under the tile as per the contract, doing a sub-standard job of acid washing, and not applying the XXXX XXXX to the manufacturers specifications. All reasons lead to services not rendered correctly or satisfactorily. Because XXXX did the prep work incorrectly, I was not able to get a warranty from a new plaster company. 

Alliant Credit Union refused to push a chargeback to Visa. I was not giving a solid answer, but it seemed that the burden of proof was put solely in my hands, yet no pictures of the work was allowed as evidence on my behalf. I am being forced to resort to not paying a credit card bill and going to collections because a creditor doesn't want to help with a large purchase. Because a partial refund was offered from XXXX XXXX XXXX, a figure that I do not agree with, Alliant feels they can wash their hands of this matter instead of helping the consumer. I have given my side of the story to Alliant as I have done here, telling of clear contract breach, and yet that isn't good enough for Alliant to take action.