Capital One allows merchant to double-bill me, then charges me late fee, informs me all disputes must be closed within 45 days and then allows merchant to use all but one day to respond. Richmond Virginia

I am sure that there are those like the above reader who would like me (and others) to believe that all banks follow the same procedures. This has not been my experience. I have made two disputed charges to Capital One in 10+ years with them. Both were ruled in favor of the merchant. I have had ZERO disputes with any of my other banks. After the original dispute in 2005, Capital One raised my finance charge on my VISA and also tacked on an annual fee that was not there the previous 8+ years. All this on an account with zero balance, no late charges or over-limit charges. It's all a moot point now. I have closed the account and they have lost a customer of 10+ years and will not be receiving the annual fee that would have become due next month. There is absolutely no benefit in having an account with Capital One.

I am sure that there are those like the above reader who would like me (and others) to believe that all banks follow the same procedures. This has not been my experience. I have made two disputed charges to Capital One in 10+ years with them. Both were ruled in favor of the merchant. I have had ZERO disputes with any of my other banks. After the original dispute in 2005, Capital One raised my finance charge on my VISA and also tacked on an annual fee that was not there the previous 8+ years. All this on an account with zero balance, no late charges or over-limit charges. It's all a moot point now. I have closed the account and they have lost a customer of 10+ years and will not be receiving the annual fee that would have become due next month. There is absolutely no benefit in having an account with Capital One.

I am sure that there are those like the above reader who would like me (and others) to believe that all banks follow the same procedures. This has not been my experience. I have made two disputed charges to Capital One in 10+ years with them. Both were ruled in favor of the merchant. I have had ZERO disputes with any of my other banks. After the original dispute in 2005, Capital One raised my finance charge on my VISA and also tacked on an annual fee that was not there the previous 8+ years. All this on an account with zero balance, no late charges or over-limit charges. It's all a moot point now. I have closed the account and they have lost a customer of 10+ years and will not be receiving the annual fee that would have become due next month. There is absolutely no benefit in having an account with Capital One.

This is not the fault of Capital One. Capital One did not double bill you, the car rental agency did. It is very likely that the Car rental company found some reason to ding you another $100.00+ and pushed the charge through.
Your bank is there to dispute fraudulent charges on your behalf... This was most likely not a truly fraudulent charge on your account. I am sure that the company was able to produce a pre-authorization or contract that you signed when you rented the car that would allow them to debit your card in the case of damage or anything else they wanted to for that matter.

It really doesn't matter if a Capital One rep can't get their timelines straight, the company claims that the second charge they put through your account was a legitimate charge that you had provided authorization for... Capital One or ANY other credit card company for that matter has their hands tied.
You need to take up the issue with the merchant.

The consumer should have an equal amount of time to dispute a charge as the merchant does. If they take 30 days, I get 30 days, etc. Your stupid comment does not address them telling me they are investigating my dispute and then giving me a late charge without ever informing me of their results. Every representative of Crapital One that I spoke with gives me a different story of how long the merchant has to respond.

First it was 30 days, then it was 45 days, then its 90 days. They can't even get their story straight. Don't they have an employee handbook or do they just make up any number that comes into their head? As for the merchant, I have requested a copy of the contract before contacting them further.

Regardless, they have no right to double bill me. Go ahead John, act smug in your bureaucratic brown-nosing ways. I'll have the last laugh, I guarantee you.

Why are you disputing with the credit card and not who is actually double charging you?

You also say:
"the dispute agent told me that when a customer makes a dispute against a merchant, the dispute must be closed within 45 days, and that the merchant may take up to 44 days to respond, leaving the consumer with only ONE DAY to counter the merchant's response."

And what is to stop a merchant from waiting until day 89 of a 90 day refute period, day 119 of a 120 refute period, day 149 of a 150 day refute period, day 364 of a 365 day refute period?
Would all these be the credit cards fault also?
Your complaint as a whole belongs against the merchant and YOU should be going after them.
You are lazy and using the bank to do your leg work for you.

You clearly went on the trip so why would they question any charges from it? If you hadn't taken the trip and these charges showed up, then you could expect the bank to do the work.