Getting a refund through your bank or credit card company 

Sometimes, when you’re trying to get a business to acknowledge a problem with something they’ve sold you, you come up against a brick wall. But there could be another way of getting your money back. Some banks and credit card companies offer a ‘chargeback’ service. This means that they’ll reverse your transaction and you’ll get your money back unless the seller can successfully dispute it. Or, under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, you can hold your credit card provider jointly liable for breach of contract and have them refund your money.

When you can use Section 75 or a chargeback

Section 75 can seem like an easy way of getting your money back, particularly if the business in question isn’t responding to your complaints. But you can only use it in certain situations. For instance, the value of the transaction has to be over £100. And if you bought through a third party – such as concert tickets through a booking agency – a Section 75 claim might not be possible at all. Also, you aren’t legally entitled to a chargeback – it’s up to your bank or your lender whether they offer the service, and under what conditions they’ll make it available.

How we can help

Our team of experts can help you understand whether your specific problem is a good candidate for a chargeback or a Section 75 claim. We’ll explain how the 2 processes work step-by-step and what you should do to give yourself the best possible chance of success. And we can suggest some options if your credit card company declines your claim – such as escalating your case to the Financial Ombudsman. 

• listen to what’s happened
• explain how chargebacks and Section 75 claims work
• talk you through how to make a claim