Section 75 and Chargebacks: A Guide to Getting Money Back on Card Purchases in the UK 

When something you paid for by card never arrives, arrives broken, or is not what the seller promised, many people assume their only option is to argue with the retailer. UK law and card scheme rules give you two routes that run through your card provider.

In this article we will discuss how Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act and chargebacks differ, which purchases are covered, how to build a strong claim, how to make it step by step, and what to do if your provider says no.

Section 75 explained in plain terms

Section 75 is part of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, a long-standing law that applies across the whole of the United Kingdom. Its idea is simple. When you buy something using credit, the company that lent you the money is held jointly responsible with the seller if the seller breaches the contract or misrepresents what it was selling. That means you can bring your claim to the card company rather than chasing a business that may be slow, uncooperative or no longer trading.

The phrase breach of contract covers many everyday problems. Goods that do not arrive, goods that are faulty, services that are not carried out with reasonable care, and products that differ from their description are typical examples. Misrepresentation means that you were given false information that persuaded you to buy, such as a claim about what a product could do. The law on what a seller owes you comes mainly from the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which covers goods, digital content and services, and your claim to the card provider is built on those rights.

Joint responsibility, which lawyers call joint and several liability, is the real strength of the rule. You can pursue the card provider, the seller or both, and you do not have to prove that the seller cannot pay before you turn to the card company. In practice most people start with the card provider because it is a regulated financial firm with a complaints process. If the seller has gone out of business, which is common with holiday companies, builders and online retailers, this route may be the only realistic way to recover your money.

Section 75 has conditions, and you should check them rather than assume. It applies only to purchases where the cash price of a single item falls between a minimum and a maximum set in the law, and these limits are described on the Financial Conduct Authority website and in MoneyHelper guidance. It also requires a particular chain of parties: you, the card provider and the seller. If you are unsure whether a purchase meets the limits, the card provider’s complaints team can tell you, and Citizens Advice can explain the position in plain language.

The right does not depend on whether the seller was dishonest. A perfectly honest company can still fail to deliver, and your claim is still valid. It also does not require you to have taken the seller to court. What it does require is that you can show that something went wrong with the contract and that you have lost out as a result. Your card provider will normally ask you to explain what happened and to provide evidence.

Chargebacks work differently from legal rights

A chargeback is a process, not a statute. It comes from the rules of the card schemes, such as Visa and Mastercard, which set out how banks may reverse a transaction when something has gone wrong. Your bank, acting through the scheme, asks the seller’s bank to return the money. The seller’s bank can defend the claim on behalf of the merchant, and the dispute is decided within the scheme’s framework rather than in a court.

The key difference is that chargeback is not something the law guarantees. Banks are expected to make use of the process in appropriate cases, and the Financial Conduct Authority expects firms to treat customers fairly, but the detail is governed by scheme rules that the banks and schemes can change. This is why the outcome of a chargeback can be less certain than a Section 75 claim. It is also why rules differ between Visa, Mastercard and other schemes, and between one bank and another in how they handle requests.

Chargeback is useful because it can apply to debit cards, prepaid cards and credit cards alike. If you paid by debit card, you do not have Section 75, so chargeback is likely to be your main route. It can also help for lower-value purchases that fall below the Section 75 minimum, and for some situations where the legal chain is not met. Common chargeback reasons include goods not received, services not provided, items not as described and duplicate or incorrectly charged transactions.

Time limits matter far more with chargebacks than with Section 75. Card schemes set windows for raising a dispute, usually measured from the date of the transaction or the date you expected delivery or service. These windows are much shorter than the legal limitation periods for Section 75, so delay can be costly. Check your own bank’s guidance on how long you have, and do not wait for months while a seller makes promises that never materialise.

Another difference is the way the process feels. A chargeback is usually raised by your bank on your behalf, and you may not have the same direct dialogue with the seller’s bank. The seller may respond with its own evidence, such as proof of delivery or terms and conditions. If the seller wins the dispute, you may still have other rights against it, such as a claim under consumer law, although the chargeback itself will be closed.

Purchases and payment methods that are covered

For Section 75, the starting point is that you must have used a credit card, or in some cases another form of regulated credit, for at least part of the purchase. Debit cards are not covered by Section 75, because you are spending your own money rather than borrowed funds. Charge cards and store cards that provide regulated credit may be covered, depending on the terms. If you are unsure what type of card you hold, your card agreement or the provider’s helpline can tell you.

A frequent surprise is that you do not have to pay in full by credit card. Commonly published guidance says that putting a deposit on a credit card can be enough for Section 75 to apply to the whole purchase, provided the item’s cash price falls inside the legal limits. That can be a helpful way to protect a large order, such as furniture, a holiday or building work, when you would prefer to pay the balance another way. Since the details can be technical, confirm the position with your card provider or an adviser before relying on it.

Purchases from overseas sellers can also be covered. Courts in the UK have confirmed that Section 75 can apply to card purchases made abroad or from foreign companies, although practical difficulties may arise in gathering evidence or contacting the seller. The same principle does not extend automatically to every country’s laws, so a claim is judged against the contract and the rights that apply to it. If you bought from outside the UK, say so clearly when you contact your provider and be ready to explain what the seller promised.

Payment intermediaries make things less straightforward. If you paid through a digital wallet, a payment service or a buy now pay later arrangement, whether Section 75 or chargeback applies depends on how the payment was made and which firms were involved. Some arrangements fall outside Section 75 because the chain of parties is different, while others may still give you chargeback rights through the underlying card. When you use a middleman, find out in advance which protection applies by reading the terms and checking with your provider.

It is also worth knowing about other forms of protection. Personal loans taken to pay a particular supplier can sometimes carry similar protection, especially where the lender and the seller have an arrangement. Package holiday rules, ATOL protection for certain flights and trade body schemes add further safety nets. The table below compares the main routes, though it is a summary and you should always check your own agreements.

Problems that justify a claim

The most straightforward ground is non-delivery. You paid, the date for delivery passed, and nothing arrived, or the business stopped responding. Before claiming, check the order confirmation for the promised timeframe, track any parcel, and ask the seller in writing what is happening. If you are given a firm new date and it also passes, you will have a clear record that the seller failed to perform.

Faulty goods are the second large category. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. The law gives a short period in which you may reject faulty goods and receive a refund, and after that you are generally entitled to a repair or replacement, with further remedies if those fail. The exact periods and the approach in Scotland differ slightly in terminology, so look at the guidance from Citizens Advice or the Scottish consumer advice service.

Services have their own standard. A service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, and it should be done within a reasonable time if no date was agreed. Poor workmanship, work left unfinished, or a holiday that bears little resemblance to what you booked can all justify a claim. For services, evidence is key: dated photographs, written quotes, messages and independent opinions from another tradesperson can make the difference.

Misrepresentation and misleading descriptions form another group. If a seller told you a product was brand new when it was used, or claimed that a service included something that it did not, you may have a claim. Keep screenshots of listings and adverts, because online pages can be edited or removed. A written statement from the seller is more persuasive than your memory of a phone call.

Some problems do not fit either route well. If you simply change your mind, you may have cancellation rights for online and distance purchases under separate consumer rules, but that is a different matter and is usually handled with the seller directly. If your card was used without your permission, that is unauthorised payment fraud, and you should contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud, or Police Scotland if you live in Scotland. Scam payments you made yourself have their own reimbursement arrangements, which are separate from Section 75 and chargeback, so tell your bank exactly what happened.

Business failure deserves a special mention because it is where these protections matter most. If a trader enters administration or liquidation, a customer who paid directly to the business may join a long queue of creditors and recover little or nothing. A card provider, by contrast, is still there and can still be asked to put things right. Act quickly when you hear that a seller is in trouble, keep every document, and tell your provider about the insolvency when you claim, as it explains why the seller cannot resolve the problem itself.

Preparing your evidence before you contact the provider

Strong claims are built before the first phone call. Start by assembling a clear timeline in a few lines: what you bought, the date, how much you paid, what was promised, what went wrong and what you did about it. Add the seller’s name, trading name and contact details, together with the order number. Having this to hand makes the call shorter, and it makes your complaint look organised and credible.

Collect your documents into a single folder, on paper or digital. Useful items include the order confirmation, receipts, card statements showing the payment, emails and chat logs with the seller, photographs or video of faults, and any reports from independent experts. If a trader has made promises in a phone call, ask them to confirm by email, and note the date, time and name of the person you spoke to. Do not alter or crop screenshots in ways that hide dates or context.

Before you claim, give the seller a fair chance to put things right when it is practical. A short, polite letter or email setting out the problem, the remedy you want and a reasonable deadline demonstrates that you tried. It also forms part of the evidence if the matter goes further. If the seller is uncontactable or has gone out of business, record your attempts and move on to your card provider without waiting.

Be accurate about the amount. You can usually claim for the loss caused by the breach, which may include the price paid and, in some cases, other reasonable losses that flow from the problem. Keep invoices for any repair you had to pay for or replacement you had to buy. Do not exaggerate, since an inflated claim can undermine your credibility and delay the result.

Finally, check the deadlines. For chargeback, find your bank’s stated window and aim to act well inside it. For Section 75, limitation periods are long, but they are not infinite, and they differ between England, Wales and Northern Ireland on one hand and Scotland on the other. Rather than rely on memory, look at current guidance on GOV.UK or from Citizens Advice, and make the claim promptly while records are fresh.

Making the claim step by step

Start by contacting your card provider, using the claims route it publishes, which is often an online form or a dedicated phone line. Say clearly that you wish to make a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, or a chargeback request, or both if you are unsure. Naming the legal right shows that you know the basis of your claim and often leads the provider to route your case to the right team. Ask for a reference number and note the name of anyone you speak to.

Next, explain the problem in a few sentences, then offer your evidence. Send documents in the manner the provider asks, and keep copies of everything. If the provider asks questions, answer them promptly and truthfully, because gaps and delays slow things down. Where the provider sets a deadline for further information, treat it seriously.

The provider will then investigate. For a Section 75 claim it considers whether the legal conditions are met and whether the seller breached the contract or misrepresented the product. For chargeback it will look at the scheme reason code that fits your situation and whether the time limits have been met. It may contact the seller or the seller’s bank, and it may ask you to wait while the process runs.

Be clear about what outcome you want. You may ask for a full refund, a partial refund, or the cost of putting the problem right, depending on what happened. If you received something usable but of lower value, a partial refund could be more realistic. If the problem has caused you extra costs, list them and explain how they arose.

Expect a written outcome. A card provider is required to deal with complaints promptly, and it must tell you about your right to go to the Financial Ombudsman Service if you are not satisfied. If the claim succeeds, the money may be credited to your card account or returned to your bank account, and the provider may recover it from the seller. If the claim succeeds only in part, ask for the reasons in writing, so that you can decide whether to challenge the decision.

During the process, keep paying your credit card bill, at least the minimum, to protect your credit file while the dispute is under way. Check your statement for any interest on the disputed amount and raise that with the provider if it was added unfairly. Do not rely on a claim to cover your obligations to the card company. If you are struggling with payments, MoneyHelper and Citizens Advice can help you plan.

Joint purchases and gifts raise a common question. If you bought something using your card and gave it to someone else, you are still the person who made the contract, so the claim is normally yours to make, although the recipient may be able to help by supplying photographs and details of the fault. An additional cardholder on your account can also trigger protection, because the account holder is the one who borrowed the money. Explain these facts plainly when you call, and let the provider work out how the rules apply.

When the card provider refuses

Not every claim succeeds, and a refusal is not always the end. Read the reasons carefully. A provider may say that the item falls outside the price limits, that you paid by a method that breaks the chain of liability, that the dispute window has passed, or that it does not accept that the seller breached the contract. Sometimes the reason is a mix-up over facts that you can clear up with better evidence.

Your first step is to reply, setting out why you disagree and attaching anything new. Keep the tone factual and short, and refer to the point the provider relied on. If you think it has applied the wrong law, for example by refusing Section 75 because the card was used abroad, say so politely and cite the principle. If you sent your claim by phone, follow up in writing so that you have a record.

If you remain unhappy, make a formal complaint under the provider’s complaints procedure. Providers have a set period to issue a final response, and you can find that period in their complaints leaflet or on the Financial Conduct Authority website. If you receive a final response you disagree with, or if the period passes without one, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. It is independent and free for consumers, and there are time limits for referring a complaint, so check them promptly.

The ombudsman will ask both sides for their account and evidence, then reach a decision based on what is fair and reasonable, taking into account the law and good industry practice. It can order the provider to repay money, and sometimes to pay compensation for distress or inconvenience. You are not obliged to accept its decision, but if you do accept it, it becomes binding on the firm. Having a clear timeline and well-organised documents is a major help here.

Court is the last resort. For a Section 75 claim, you can take legal action against the card provider or the seller through the small claims process in England and Wales, the simple procedure in Scotland, or the corresponding procedures in Northern Ireland. Court action costs time and may carry fees and risks, so consider it only after you have tried the complaint route, and take advice from Citizens Advice or a solicitor. Be cautious about companies that charge fees to pursue claims on your behalf, since you can make these claims yourself for free.

Conclusion

The moment you suspect a problem, stop and gather your evidence. Find the order confirmation, the card statement showing the payment and any communication with the seller. Work out which card you used, because it determines which routes are open to you. If it was a credit card, Section 75 may apply; if it was a debit card, chargeback is likely to be the main option.

Then contact the seller in writing, politely and briefly, explaining the issue and what you want. Give a reasonable deadline, but do not let it stretch on if the seller is stalling, since chargeback windows may be running. If the seller is unresponsive, or if you have reason to think it is in financial trouble, approach your card provider without delay. Keep a note of the dates of every step, because a clear paper trail helps if the dispute is escalated.

Next, make the claim with your card provider, naming the right you rely on and the outcome you seek. If the provider refuses, check the reasons, respond with any missing evidence, and use the formal complaint process. After the final response, or after the set period without one, the Financial Ombudsman Service is available at no charge. Throughout, keep paying at least the minimum on your card, and seek advice from MoneyHelper or Citizens Advice if money is tight.

For future purchases, think ahead about protection. For larger or riskier purchases, such as holidays, building work or items from sellers you do not know, using a credit card can add a layer of safety, so long as you can repay the balance and avoid interest. Look at the seller’s reviews, check its address and contact details, and read the terms on delivery and returns. This article is general information, not legal or financial advice, so for complex or high-value disputes, speak to Citizens Advice, a solicitor or your card provider.