Consumer complaint received 2025-06-28 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — Home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC)
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage — Application denials
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: MD

Complaint narrative:
On Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I made an appointment to see Business Manager Yasir at Citizens Bank located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Maryland at around XXXXXXXX XXXX. I have dealt with XXXX in the past whenever I came in to do banking transactions. I told him that I was interested in applying for a home improvement loan to renovate the house which my parents have been owning and I have been living since XXXX. I explained to him specifically about my current credit situation, and described to him about a debt relief loan for my automobile which I plan to begin once I started getting my first pay from my new job. I explained to him that the debt relief program has already been established, and is pending to provide first payment date. I also told him about my only existing SECURED credit card with {$400.00} limit. I do not have any other major debt. I repeatedly told him to please include that in my home equity loan application so the underwriter is aware of my current situation that I intend to resume the payment for my auto loan which should improve the credit score. I chatted with him about my past credit application experience that whenever I received a denied letter from a credit card company stating that my credit debt ratio is too high. I told him that I only have XXXX SECURED credit card with a credit limit of {$400.00} and the payment status is current. 

When I first proposed the home equity line of credit amount was {$45000.00}. After talking to him about my monthly expected income, He told me to decrease to {$25000.00}. I accepted his counter proposal. During the time of conversation with XXXX, he was looking at me the whole time blankly, and not inputting any of my request in writing on my application. At the end, he told me that he would call me on Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX. I told him that I plan on stopping by Wednesday to provide him with my first pay stub. Before going to the branch on Tuesday afternoon of XX/XX/XXXX, I called and left message with his colleague XXXX on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, and Tuesday morning XX/XX/XXXX. I did not get any call back from XXXX. So I decided to go to the the branch. When I walked in, I saw him talking to his female colleague. He immediately recognized me and told me as I sat at his cubic office that he received a message from the underwriter. He then told me that my application was denied due to high debt to credit ratio, and low credit score. I was so livid by the response that I felt my conversation with him on Friday, XX/XX/XXXX felt on the weight side, that he must have not made any notes to the underwriter before submitting the application. I was so angry and walked out of his desk immediately. I believe I was being DISCRIMINATED against throughout this process, after disclosing about my personal life experience as single mother. Not to mention the fact that he never bothered to even call me back when he said he would, and after calling him twice that he still did not call me. 

On Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Citizens Bank stating that the reason for denied line of credit was resulting from delinquent past or present credit obligations. The reason for denial is different from what XXXX told me on Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX. 

I am requesting a review of my personal experience with Citizens Bank and communicate with me in writing at your earliest available time. 

Thank you for you consideration in this matter. 


XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation