Finance Editor, Kael Tripton Ltd - LBS MBA - Verified against FCA Handbook: 14 June 2026
Quick answer
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card lender jointly liable with the supplier for any breach of contract or misrepresentation on purchases of PS100-PS30,000. If the supplier goes bust or fails to deliver, claim against your card lender. Applies to all UK credit cards, including contactless and mobile payments.
What Is Section 75 and How Do You Make a Claim?
Direct answer
How does Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act protect me?
Section 75 (legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/39/section/75) makes your credit card lender jointly liable with the supplier for purchases of PS100-PS30,000. If the supplier breaches the contract, misrepresents what they are selling, or goes insolvent, you can claim against the card lender. Write to the lender citing Section 75 CCA 1974, provide evidence, and escalate to the FOS if refused.
FCA Handbook - CCA 1974 Section 75(1) - Verbatim Rule Text Source: handbook.fca.org.uk
If the debtor under a debtor-creditor-supplier agreement has a like claim against the supplier in respect of a misrepresentation or breach of contract, he shall have a like claim against the creditor, who, with the supplier, shall accordingly be jointly and severally liable to the debtor.
Confirm Section 75 eligibility
The item must cost PS100-PS30,000, paid by credit card directly to the supplier. If paid through a third party, Section 75 may not apply.
Write to the credit card lender
State: 'I am making a Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974 claim for [reason -- supplier breach / misrepresentation / insolvency]. The purchase totalled [PS amount] and was made on [date].'
Provide evidence of the breach
Include: receipt, contract, correspondence with the supplier, evidence of the supplier's failure (e.g. insolvency notice, non-delivery evidence).
Escalate to the FOS if refused
The FOS handles Section 75 disputes. Include evidence of the supplier's breach and the credit card payment in your FOS submission.
Do not wait for the supplier to go bust
Section 75 applies when the supplier breaches contract -- you do not need to wait for insolvency. If the goods or service are not as described, you can claim immediately.
| Scenario | Section 75 applies? | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier goes bust before delivering goods | Yes -- if paid PS100-PS30,000 by credit card | Claim against credit card lender citing S.75 |
| Flight cancelled by airline | Yes -- if paid directly to airline by credit card | Claim against credit card lender |
| Holiday operator collapses | Yes -- if paid directly, PS100-PS30,000 | Claim against credit card lender |
| Goods not as described | Yes -- misrepresentation within S.75 | Claim against credit card lender |
| Paid through travel agent (third party) | No -- no direct debtor-creditor-supplier link | Try ATOL protection or travel insurance |
| Paid by debit card | No -- Section 75 only applies to credit | Try chargeback (voluntary scheme, not statutory) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974?
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes a credit card lender jointly liable with the supplier for any misrepresentation or breach of contract on a purchase costing between PS100 and PS30,000 (the individual item price, not the total transaction value). If the supplier fails to deliver, goes bust, or misrepresents what they are selling, you can claim against the credit card lender instead of (or as well as) the supplier. This is one of the strongest consumer protections in UK law.
How does Section 75 work for flight and holiday bookings?
Section 75 applies to flight and holiday bookings where the individual item cost is between PS100 and PS30,000 and you paid by credit card directly to the airline or tour operator. If the airline goes bust or fails to operate the flight, you can claim a full refund from your credit card lender. The protection does not apply if you paid through a third-party (e.g. a comparison site or travel agent) -- you need a direct debtor-creditor-supplier relationship.
Does Section 75 apply to purchases made abroad?
Yes. Section 75 applies to purchases made with a UK credit card regardless of where the purchase was made. If you buy a product or service abroad using a UK credit card and the supplier breaches the contract, you can claim against the UK credit card lender.
What is Section 75A for connected lender liability?
Section 75A of the Consumer Credit Act extends connected lender liability to purchases made with store cards, some retail finance agreements and linked credit where the lender and supplier have a pre-existing commercial arrangement. Section 75A differs from Section 75: Section 75A requires the consumer to try to claim against the supplier first, and applies to different types of credit agreements. Standard credit cards are covered by Section 75, not Section 75A.
Does Section 75 apply to contactless and mobile payments?
Section 75 applies to the underlying credit card regardless of the payment method. If you pay by Apple Pay, Google Pay or contactless using a credit card, the Section 75 protection still applies because the payment is charged to the credit card account.
Primary sources
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