If something you paid for never arrives, turns out to be faulty or is not what you were promised, your card provider may be able to help you recover the money.
The two routes you are most likely to hear about are chargeback and Section 75. They are often mentioned together, but they are not the same thing.
The short answer is this: chargeback is a card-scheme process available on many debit, credit and prepaid card payments, while Section 75 is a legal protection for qualifying credit purchases.
Knowing which one applies can make it much easier to explain your claim to your bank and challenge an incorrect refusal.
The quick version: If you used a credit card and the cash price of a single item was more than £100 and no more than £30,000, ask your card provider to consider a Section 75 claim. For most other card purchases, ask about chargeback. If both might apply, ask the provider to consider both routes.
Chargeback vs Section 75 at a glance
| Feature | Chargeback | Section 75 |
|---|---|---|
| Type of protection | A voluntary process operated through card-scheme rules | A legal protection under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 |
| Cards covered | Many debit, credit and prepaid card payments | Qualifying credit card and regulated credit purchases |
| Purchase value | No standard statutory minimum or maximum, although card-scheme rules apply | The cash price of the individual item must be more than £100 and no more than £30,000 |
| Usual deadline | Often 120 days, although the starting point and exact limit depend on the circumstances and card scheme | No equivalent 120-day card-scheme deadline, but legal and Ombudsman time limits still apply |
| How the money is recovered | Your bank attempts to reverse the card transaction through the card scheme | The credit provider is legally responsible alongside the supplier for qualifying breaches of contract or misrepresentation |
| Can the retailer dispute it? | Yes. The retailer can defend the chargeback and temporary refunds can be reversed | The card provider investigates whether it is legally liable for the claim |
| Paying only a deposit by card | Normally limited to the amount paid using that card | Can potentially cover the full qualifying purchase, even if only the deposit was paid by credit card |
| Additional losses | Usually limited to the amount charged to the card | May cover certain reasonably foreseeable losses caused by the breach |
What is chargeback?
Chargeback is a process that allows your card provider to ask the retailer’s bank to reverse a card payment.
It is commonly used when:
- an item or service was never provided;
- something arrived damaged or was not as described;
- a retailer agreed to provide a refund but the money never arrived;
- you were charged twice;
- the amount charged was incorrect;
- a subscription was charged after you cancelled it; or
- the retailer ceased trading before supplying what you bought.
Chargeback is not a specific legal right in the same way as Section 75. It is operated under the rules of card networks such as Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
That does not mean your bank can simply ignore a valid request. The Financial Ombudsman Service says that where there is a valid reason for a chargeback, it may be good practice for a card provider to attempt one.
Which cards offer chargeback?
Chargeback can potentially be used for payments made with:
- debit cards;
- credit cards;
- prepaid cards; and
- some card payments made through digital wallets.
The exact rules depend on the card scheme and the reason for the dispute. Your bank should be able to tell you which rule applies to your transaction.
What is the chargeback time limit?
For many claims, the deadline is 120 days. However, the date on which those 120 days begins can vary.
It might begin from:
- the date of the transaction;
- the date you expected the goods to arrive;
- the date a service should have been provided;
- the date you discovered a fault; or
- the date a promised refund should have reached you.
Some card schemes have additional long-stop deadlines. The safest approach is to contact your card provider as soon as you realise there is a problem. Do not wait until day 119.
Can a chargeback be reversed?
Yes. A successful chargeback is not always the end of the dispute.
The retailer may submit evidence arguing that the payment was correct or that the goods or service were provided as agreed. If your bank initially gives you a temporary refund, it may remove that money again if the retailer successfully challenges the claim.
If this happens, ask your bank to explain:
- what evidence the retailer supplied;
- why that evidence defeated the chargeback;
- whether you can submit further evidence; and
- whether another route, including Section 75, is available.
What is Section 75?
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can make a credit provider jointly responsible with a supplier when the supplier breaches its contract with you or misrepresents what it is selling.
In everyday language, this means you may be able to claim against your credit card provider when a qualifying purchase goes wrong, even if the retailer has disappeared or gone out of business.
Section 75 commonly applies when:
- goods never arrive;
- goods are faulty or not as described;
- a service is not supplied;
- a company becomes insolvent before completing the work;
- a holiday, event or booking is cancelled without an appropriate refund; or
- you relied on false or misleading information when making the purchase.
Section 75 is not an insurance policy and it does not cover simple changes of mind. There must normally be a breach of contract or a misrepresentation by the supplier.
When does Section 75 apply?
The main requirements are:
- You used qualifying credit to fund at least part of the purchase.
- The cash price of the individual item or qualifying set was more than £100 and no more than £30,000.
- There was a suitable legal connection between you, the credit provider and the supplier.
- The supplier breached its contract or misrepresented the purchase.
The price limits are precise. An item costing exactly £100 will not normally qualify. An item costing £100.01 potentially can.
The £100 rule applies to each item, not the total order
One of the most misunderstood parts of Section 75 is that the threshold normally applies to the cash price of each individual item, not the total amount on your receipt.
For example, imagine you buy two chairs costing £90 each. The total bill is £180, but each chair costs less than £100. The purchase may therefore fall outside Section 75.
However, if the chairs were sold together as one matching set for £180, the set may be treated as the qualifying item.
Similarly, a family ticket sold as a single package may qualify even though several people will use it. What matters is how the purchase was priced and sold.
You do not have to pay the full price by credit card
Section 75 can apply even when you put only a small deposit on your credit card.
Suppose a sofa costs £2,000. You pay a £100 deposit using a credit card and the remaining £1,900 by debit card or bank transfer. If the purchase otherwise qualifies and the supplier breaches the contract, your credit card provider could potentially be responsible for the full £2,000.
It is the cash price of the item that determines whether the £100 threshold is met, not the amount placed on the credit card.
This makes paying even a small part of a large purchase by credit card potentially valuable. However, the individual item must still cost more than £100.
Can Section 75 cover more than the purchase price?
In some circumstances, a Section 75 claim can include additional losses that were reasonably caused by the supplier’s breach.
For example, if a company abandons unfinished work and you have to pay another contractor more to correct or complete it, some of that additional cost may potentially form part of the claim.
This is not automatic. You will need to show that the loss was caused by the breach, that your response was reasonable and that you took sensible steps to keep the loss from increasing.
Should you use chargeback or Section 75?
Use the following questions as a starting point.
Did you pay by debit card?
Ask about chargeback. Section 75 does not apply to an ordinary debit card payment.
Did you pay by credit card for an item costing £100 or less?
Ask about chargeback. A purchase costing exactly £100 or less will not normally meet the Section 75 price threshold.
Did you pay by credit card for an item costing more than £100 and no more than £30,000?
Ask the provider to consider Section 75. You can also ask whether chargeback is available, particularly if the chargeback deadline is approaching.
Did you pay only a deposit by credit card?
Section 75 may be the stronger route because it can potentially cover the whole qualifying purchase, rather than only the amount charged to the card.
Did the item cost more than £30,000?
Standard Section 75 protection will not normally apply. However, a separate protection known as Section 75A may apply to certain linked credit agreements for purchases costing more than £30,000 and up to £60,260.
Tell the lender what happened and ask it to consider all applicable Consumer Credit Act protections.
Can you ask for both?
Yes. If you used a credit card and are unsure which protection applies, you can ask your provider to consider both chargeback and Section 75.
A failed chargeback does not automatically mean you have no Section 75 claim. They are different processes with different rules. If the bank says a chargeback failed, ask it to give you a separate decision on Section 75.
Do you need to contact the retailer first?
It is usually sensible to give the retailer a reasonable opportunity to put the problem right before approaching your card provider.
Contact the retailer in writing and clearly state:
- what you bought;
- when and how you paid;
- what went wrong;
- what outcome you want; and
- the date by which you expect a response.
Keep a copy of everything you send.
You do not need to spend months chasing an unresponsive business. If the retailer has disappeared, ceased trading, refused to help or the card deadline is approaching, contact your provider promptly.
What happens if you used PayPal?
PayPal can make Section 75 claims more complicated because the law normally requires a direct legal connection between the person borrowing, the credit provider and the supplier. This is sometimes called the debtor-creditor-supplier chain.
If you logged in to your PayPal account and used a credit card to fund the purchase, PayPal’s involvement may break that chain. Section 75 will not normally apply in the same way, although you may have access to PayPal Buyer Protection or chargeback.
If you paid through PayPal’s guest checkout without logging in, Section 75 may still be possible. PayPal Credit and regulated buy now, pay later agreements can also have different protections.
Do not assume the answer is automatically no. Submit the claim and ask the credit provider to explain precisely why it believes Section 75 does or does not apply to the payment structure you used.
What about Apple Pay and Google Pay?
Using Apple Pay or Google Pay will not normally remove the protections attached to the underlying card.
If the digital wallet payment was funded by a debit card, you may be able to request chargeback. If it was funded by a qualifying credit card, Section 75 may apply.
MoneyHelper’s guidance on card and digital-wallet payment problems confirms that you should normally contact the provider of the underlying card.
Do buy now, pay later purchases have Section 75 protection?
The rules changed on 15 July 2026.
Qualifying third-party buy now, pay later agreements taken out on or after that date are now regulated. These newer agreements can include Section 75 protection, alongside affordability checks and access to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
This can apply to eligible agreements from third-party lenders such as Klarna, Clearpay or PayPal. Agreements made before 15 July 2026 may remain outside the new regime, and instalment plans offered directly by a retailer can be treated differently.
Check the date and terms of your particular agreement. The Financial Conduct Authority explains the new buy now, pay later protections in more detail.
Can an additional credit cardholder make a Section 75 claim?
Additional cardholder purchases can be complicated because the main account holder is the person who has the credit agreement with the card provider.
The main cardholder should normally submit the claim. A claim may be more likely to qualify when the purchase was made for the main cardholder’s benefit or for a shared household purpose.
If an additional cardholder used the card solely to buy something for themselves, the provider may argue that the required legal connection is missing.
That does not mean you should abandon the claim. Explain who bought the item, who it was for, who agreed to the purchase and how it benefited the main cardholder or household.
Do marketplaces and booking agents affect Section 75?
Buying through a marketplace, travel agent, ticketing site or payment processor can complicate a Section 75 claim if the intermediary changes the legal relationship between you and the actual supplier.
However, using an intermediary does not automatically defeat every claim. The exact contractual arrangements matter.
If your provider refuses the claim because an intermediary was involved, ask it to identify:
- which company it believes supplied the goods or service;
- which company received the credit card payment;
- how the payment chain was structured; and
- why that structure prevents Section 75 from applying.
Keep the original listing, booking confirmation, payment record and terms and conditions. These can help establish who promised to provide what.
What evidence should you provide?
A clear, organised claim is easier for a card provider to assess.
Include copies of any relevant:
- receipts and invoices;
- order or booking confirmations;
- credit card statements;
- contracts and terms and conditions;
- product descriptions or screenshots of the original listing;
- emails, messages or letters exchanged with the retailer;
- proof of cancellation;
- delivery tracking;
- photographs or videos of damage and faults;
- independent inspection or repair reports;
- evidence that the business has ceased trading; and
- receipts for reasonable additional losses you are claiming.
Do not send original documents unless the provider specifically requires them. Keep your own complete copy of the claim.
How to make a chargeback or Section 75 claim
- Contact the retailer. Explain the problem and ask for the appropriate refund, repair, replacement or other remedy.
- Check how you paid. Confirm whether the payment used a debit card, credit card, digital wallet, PayPal or a credit agreement.
- Check the price of the individual item. For Section 75, it must have cost more than £100 and no more than £30,000.
- Contact the card provider. Use the number on your card, secure banking message service or official claims form.
- Name the protection. Say clearly that you want to make a chargeback request, a Section 75 claim or have both considered.
- Explain the breach. State what the supplier promised, what actually happened and why you believe the contract was broken or the purchase misrepresented.
- State the outcome you want. Give the exact amount you are claiming and explain how you calculated it.
- Attach your evidence. Provide an organised timeline and copies of the important documents.
- Keep a record. Save the claim reference, dates, names and copies of all correspondence.
A simple claim template
I am asking you to consider a [chargeback/Section 75] claim relating to a payment of £[amount] made on 2026 to [supplier].
I purchased [item or service]. The supplier agreed to [summarise what was promised], but [explain what went wrong]. I contacted the supplier on [dates] and asked it to resolve the problem, but [summarise its response or lack of response].
I am claiming £[amount]. I have attached the order confirmation, proof of payment, relevant terms, correspondence with the supplier and evidence of the problem.
If you believe this claim does not qualify, please provide your decision in writing, identify the rule or legal requirement you have relied upon and explain whether you considered both chargeback and Section 75.
What if the bank refuses your claim?
Ask for the decision in writing. A useful refusal letter should explain the facts the provider accepted, the relevant rule or law and why your circumstances did not meet it.
If you think the decision is wrong, make a formal complaint to the card provider. Identify any facts it misunderstood and supply any missing evidence.
The provider normally has up to eight weeks to issue its final response to this type of complaint. If you are unhappy with that response, or eight weeks pass without one, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
The Ombudsman is free for consumers. It can examine whether the provider applied Section 75 correctly and whether it handled a potential chargeback fairly.
What if the payment was part of a scam?
If a dishonest seller took a debit or credit card payment, chargeback or Section 75 may still be relevant. Contact your card provider immediately and explain that you believe you have been scammed.
If you paid by bank transfer, neither chargeback nor Section 75 will normally apply. Different fraud reimbursement rules may be relevant instead.
Use the Relearning Money Scam Shield to work out what to do next. If you think a scam may be happening right now, follow the emergency scam steps before sending more money or sharing more information.
Frequently asked questions
Is chargeback guaranteed?
No. Your card provider must decide whether the transaction fits the relevant card-scheme rules. The retailer can also challenge the claim by submitting evidence.
Is Section 75 guaranteed?
No. The purchase must meet the legal requirements, and there must be a breach of contract or misrepresentation. Your credit provider can investigate and reject claims it does not believe qualify, but you can complain and ultimately approach the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Can I claim if the retailer has gone bust?
Potentially, yes. Chargeback may be available, and Section 75 can be particularly useful because the credit provider may remain legally responsible even when the retailer is insolvent.
Can I claim if I simply changed my mind?
Not normally through Section 75. Chargeback is also unlikely to apply unless the retailer failed to honour a valid cancellation or refund right.
You may have separate cancellation rights for some online, telephone or off-premises purchases.
Does Section 75 apply to debit cards?
No. Section 75 is a credit protection. Debit card users should normally ask about chargeback.
Does Section 75 apply if I paid by bank transfer?
No. An ordinary bank transfer is not a credit card purchase and does not create a Section 75 claim.
How long does a claim take?
There is no single timescale. Straightforward claims can be resolved relatively quickly, while disputed cases involving an intermediary, technical evidence or additional losses may take much longer.
Can the bank tell me to deal only with the retailer?
It can reasonably ask what you have done to resolve the dispute. However, a credit provider cannot avoid a valid Section 75 claim simply because you might also be able to pursue the retailer.
The bit that matters
Chargeback and Section 75 are not interchangeable pieces of banking jargon. They are different routes with different rules.
Chargeback is broader in the types of cards and transaction values it can cover, but it is governed by card-scheme rules and usually has a short deadline.
Section 75 is narrower, but it gives you a legal claim against the credit provider when a qualifying credit purchase goes wrong. It can also cover the whole purchase when only a deposit was placed on the credit card.
If you are unsure, contact the provider quickly, put the facts in writing and ask it to consider every protection that could apply. The name of the route matters, but clear evidence and a precise explanation of what went wrong matter just as much.
Last fact-checked: 1 September 2026. This article provides general information for UK consumers and is not legal or financial advice. Card-scheme rules and individual circumstances can affect the outcome of a claim.
