Purchase disputes – know when you can make a chargeback claim

Chargeback lets you ask your card provider to refund a payment on your credit card when a purchase has gone wrong. You should always contact the seller first, as you cannot start a chargeback claim unless you have done this.

Chargeback is particularly useful where the payment on your credit card was under £100.

For all credit card transactions over £100, you also have rights under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

There are time limits for making chargeback claims. These depend on your card provider, so it’s best to contact them to get the details you need. Your card provider will also tell you what evidence you may need to provide to support your chargeback claim.

You need to contact your credit card provider and tell them you want to make a claim to get your money back. Your card provider will decide the best route for your claim - either chargeback or Section 75, and this will depend on the details of your claim.

Section 75 is part of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and gives you extra protection that goes beyond chargeback. This protection covers the whole cost of an item or service even if you have only paid the deposit on your credit card. It may also cover additional reasonable expenses. More information about chargebacks and Section 75 is available on the UK Finance website.

If you paid using a Visa debit or pre-paid card

The chargeback process lets you ask your bank to refund a payment on your debit card when a purchase has gone wrong. You should contact the seller first, as you cannot start a chargeback claim unless you have done this. Then, if you can’t resolve the issue, get in touch with your bank.

There are time limits for making chargeback claims. These depend on your card provider, so it’s best to contact them to get the details you need. Your card provider will also tell you what evidence you may need to provide to support your chargeback claim.

If you paid using a digital wallet

If your Visa card purchase was made using a digital wallet where the payment was made with a linked card, chargeback and Section 75 claims work in the same way as if you paid directly with your card.

If you paid with a linked Visa credit card, see the ‘I paid with a credit card’ section. If you paid with a linked debit or pre-paid card, please see the ‘I paid with a debit or pre-paid card’ section.

For all disputes concerning payments with a debit, credit or pre-paid card, you should contact the seller first. It may be a simple mistake that they’re happy to correct for you. If it relates to fraudulent use of your card, you are protected by our Zero Liability Policy.

If you can’t get a refund from the seller, you should make a chargeback claim within 120 days of purchase. Your claim will be easier to resolve if you can provide invoices or receipts, along with card statements to show the error. Bear in mind—if you have already received a refund from the seller, you cannot make a chargeback claim.

When you make a chargeback claim, your bank will request a refund from the seller. There is no guarantee, however, that the seller will agree to the request or that your bank will be able to recover the money.

With a refund, however, the seller accepts responsibility for refunding you directly, without the need to claim through your bank. You should always request a refund from the seller first before making a chargeback claim.

You usually have up to 120 days after the purchase to make a chargeback claim, but you should not start a claim unless you have tried to get a refund directly from the seller.

If you’re not satisfied with the seller’s response, make a chargeback claim as soon as possible, particularly if you suspect that the retailer has gone, or is likely to go, out of business. If they do, your claim will still be addressed, although there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a refund.

There is no set limit for a chargeback, but the amount you claim cannot be more than the value of the purchase. In other words, you can’t claim interest or penalties through chargeback. If the seller has already refunded some of your money, you can only make a chargeback claim for the outstanding amount.

There are many cases where you can make a claim for a credit card refund under Section 75, even if you agreed to the purchase. For example, the goods or services you received didn’t meet the standards promised by the seller. Or the company that you purchased from went out of business, breaking their contract with you. If you find yourself in this type of situation, contact your card provider about your claim, so they can request a refund from the seller’s bank.

If you have already received a full refund directly from the seller, you cannot make any further chargeback or Section 75 claims. However, if you paid on a credit card and then had to spend extra money because of the disputed payment, you can make a Section 75 claim to get this extra money back. For example, you might have to buy replacement tickets to get home if you had used a credit card to buy tickets from an airline that went out of business.

For chargeback claims, if you’ve received a partial refund, you can only make a claim for the amount remaining.

The more evidence you can provide for your chargeback claim, in the form of receipts, correspondence and invoices, the stronger your claim will be. Remember, that there is no guarantee the seller will agree to the refund. Initially, you will need the seller’s name, details and the date of the purchase, evidence of the reason for the dispute, and proof that you returned goods that proved to be faulty. Subsequently, your card issuer may request additional evidence, such as invoices, receipts and written correspondence between you and the seller.

If you have lost money due to fraudulent activity on your Visa card, you are protected by Visa’s Zero Liability Policy and you’ll receive a refund. It’s important that you report suspected fraud immediately so that your bank can block your card and secure your account.

If you have lost money due to fraudulent activity on your Visa card, you are protected by Visa’s Zero Liability Policy and you’ll receive a refund. It’s important that you report suspected fraud immediately so that your bank can block your card and secure your account.