Paid by Card and the Company Won't Refund You? (UK)

Which route do you actually have

Get this right before you write, because asking for the wrong one invites a refusal that sounds like a rejection of your whole complaint. The distinguishing facts are the card type and the price of a single item.

Why Section 75 is stronger where it applies

It is a statutory right rather than a scheme rule, and it makes the card provider jointly liable with the retailer — so you can pursue the provider directly rather than chasing a company that has stopped answering. That matters most when a trader has gone out of business.

Try the company first, and keep the record

Both routes normally expect to see that you approached the trader. This is worth doing anyway: a written request with a deadline is often what unblocks a refund, and if it does not, it becomes the evidence for your claim.

If the card provider says no

You can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which handles disputes about how a card provider dealt with a Section 75 claim or a chargeback. Complain to the provider first and get their final response, because the Ombudsman will normally expect that step to have happened.

Card claim to your provider

Edit this template with your facts, dates, and requested outcome before sending.

Subject: Section 75 / chargeback claim — [merchant], [date], [amount]

Dear [Card Provider],

On [date] I paid [amount] to [merchant] using my [credit/debit] card ending [digits], for [describe what you bought].

[What went wrong — for example the goods were never delivered, the item was faulty, or the service was not provided as described.]

I contacted [merchant] on [date] and [what happened, or that there was no reply].

[If a credit card and the item cost over £100: I am making a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.] [Otherwise: I am asking you to raise a chargeback.]

Please confirm within 14 days what information you need and how the claim will be handled.

Kind regards,
[Your Name]

Common mistakes to avoid

• ✕Asking for Section 75 on a debit card, where chargeback is the route instead
• ✕Missing the chargeback window while waiting for the company to reply
• ✕Assuming a purchase under £100 is covered by Section 75 — it is not
• ✕Not saying clearly what went wrong, so the claim reads as buyer's remorse
• ✕Giving up when the company stops replying, which is exactly when the card route matters most
• ✕Not keeping the transaction date and exact amount to hand

Next steps

1. 1Check your statement for the exact date, amount and card used
2. 2Work out whether Section 75 or chargeback fits your payment
3. 3Write to the company with a deadline, and keep the reply or the silence
4. 4Contact your card provider with the dates, amounts and what went wrong
5. 5If the provider refuses, ask for a final response and consider the Financial Ombudsman