Claims
TL;DR
A chargeback is a card scheme dispute process that allows you to reclaim money from a merchant through your bank when goods or services are not delivered, are significantly different from what was described, or when a transaction was unauthorised. It is separate from Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which provides stronger legal protection for credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000. Chargebacks are available on both debit and credit cards; Section 75 applies only to credit cards.
Key facts (2026)
- Chargebacks are a card scheme dispute mechanism (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) that allows consumers to request a reversal of a card transaction; they are governed by card scheme rules rather than statute, though the FCA expects banks to handle disputes fairly under Consumer Duty (FCA BCOBS, 2025/26).
- Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes the credit card issuer jointly and severally liable with the merchant for any breach of contract or misrepresentation on purchases between £100 and £30,000; it applies only to credit cards, not debit cards.
- Chargeback time limits vary by card scheme: Visa typically allows 120 days from the transaction or from the expected delivery date; Mastercard allows 120 days; Amex has its own dispute process (Visa and Mastercard chargeback rules, 2025).
- The Payment Systems Regulator's mandatory reimbursement for Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud (from October 2023) applies to bank transfers, not card transactions; card fraud is covered by card scheme chargeback rules and the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (PSR rules for unauthorised transactions).
- Under the Payment Services Regulations 2017, banks must refund unauthorised card transactions within one business day unless they have reasonable grounds to suspect fraud; the consumer's liability for unauthorised transactions is capped at £35 unless they acted with gross negligence or fraudulently (PSR 2017, Regulations 75-77).
Chargeback versus Section 75: the key differences
Chargeback and Section 75 are often confused but operate differently. A chargeback is a card scheme dispute process administered by Visa, Mastercard or Amex under their own network rules; it is available on both debit and credit cards and does not require any minimum or maximum transaction value. Section 75 is a statutory right under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 that makes your credit card issuer jointly and severally liable with the merchant for a breach of contract or misrepresentation on purchases between £100 and £30,000; it applies only to credit cards, not debit cards, prepaid cards or charge cards. The practical significance: under Section 75, your card issuer is directly liable as a matter of law and cannot refuse responsibility once the legal conditions are met. Under chargeback, the outcome is subject to the card scheme's dispute rules and the merchant's ability to present counter-evidence, and the bank can in some cases refuse a chargeback where the scheme rules are not met.
When chargebacks apply: the main grounds
Chargebacks can be initiated on a number of grounds. The most common are: the merchant did not deliver the goods or services at all (non-delivery); the goods or services received were materially different from what was described or shown at the point of sale; the transaction was not authorised by the cardholder (fraud or identity theft); the merchant went into administration before providing the goods or services; or a credit or refund owed by the merchant has not been processed within a reasonable timeframe. Not every dispute qualifies for a chargeback; disagreements about quality that fall within normal variation, services that were delivered but were unsatisfactory in a subjective sense, or situations where the consumer changed their mind after purchase (outside the legal cooling-off period) are harder to support as chargeback claims. The card scheme's dispute reason codes map closely to these grounds.
How to initiate a chargeback claim
A chargeback is requested by contacting your card issuer - the bank that issued your card - and explaining the dispute. Most banks now have an online or app-based dispute process; alternatively, call the number on the back of your card. You will need: the transaction date and amount; the merchant's name; the reason for the dispute; and supporting evidence such as receipts, correspondence with the merchant, delivery tracking information or screenshots. Submit the dispute as soon as you identify the problem; the 120-day time limit for most Visa and Mastercard disputes runs from the transaction date or the expected delivery date, not from when you discovered the issue. Before raising a chargeback, attempt to resolve the dispute directly with the merchant - card schemes require evidence that you have tried to resolve the matter first for most dispute types, and banks may ask for proof of this attempt.
Section 75 claims: how to use the Consumer Credit Act protection
If you paid by credit card for a purchase between £100 and £30,000 and the merchant has breached the contract or made a misrepresentation, you can make a claim directly against your credit card issuer under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The issuer is jointly and severally liable, meaning you can claim from the card company regardless of whether you have exhausted your remedies against the merchant. This is particularly powerful when the merchant has become insolvent. To make a Section 75 claim: write to your credit card issuer; explain the purchase, the breach of contract or misrepresentation; and state the amount you are claiming. The full purchase price can be claimed, not just the card payment portion, as long as the card was used for at least part of the payment. If the issuer refuses a valid Section 75 claim, escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Unauthorised transactions: your rights under the Payment Services Regulations
If a transaction appears on your card statement that you did not authorise - genuine fraud rather than a disputed purchase - your rights are set out in the Payment Services Regulations 2017 rather than card scheme rules. Your bank must refund an unauthorised transaction within one business day of being notified, unless it has reasonable grounds to suspect fraud or negligence on your part. Your liability for unauthorised transactions is capped at £35 (except where you acted with gross negligence or fraud); transactions where the bank did not apply Strong Customer Authentication may carry zero consumer liability. Report suspected fraud to your bank immediately and keep a record of the notification date and time.
What to do if your chargeback is rejected
If your bank rejects your chargeback claim, ask for a written explanation of the reason. Review the explanation against the card scheme rules for the relevant dispute type; the bank must follow the scheme rules correctly. If the rejection appears to be an error in applying the scheme rules, or if the bank has not treated you fairly under FCA Consumer Duty, make a formal complaint to the bank's complaints team. If the complaint is rejected or not resolved within eight weeks, refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The FOS has jurisdiction over chargeback disputes with FCA-regulated banks and assesses claims on what is fair and reasonable. Separately, if the merchant is still trading, you may pursue a county court claim independently of the chargeback process.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I do a chargeback on a debit card?
Yes. Chargebacks are available on Visa and Mastercard debit cards under the same card scheme dispute rules that apply to credit cards. The key difference is that Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act does not apply to debit cards; for debit card disputes, chargeback is the primary mechanism. The time limits, grounds and process are the same as for credit card chargebacks under the relevant card scheme.
What if the merchant disputes my chargeback?
When you raise a chargeback, the card scheme notifies the merchant's bank (the acquirer), which gives the merchant the opportunity to present counter-evidence. If the merchant provides compelling evidence that the transaction was valid and the goods or services were delivered as described, the chargeback may be reversed (known as 'representment'). If the representment fails, the case may proceed to arbitration by the card scheme, which makes a binding decision. The process can take several weeks to complete; your bank should keep you informed of progress.
Is there a minimum amount for a chargeback?
No statutory minimum applies to chargebacks. However, the administrative cost and complexity of the process means that banks may decline chargebacks for very small amounts at their discretion, and card schemes may not accept disputes below certain thresholds. For most consumer disputes, there is no practical minimum, though the effort involved in the process should be weighed against the amount being claimed for very small transactions.
Can I use Section 75 if I only paid part of the price by credit card?
Yes. Section 75 applies to the full purchase price if any part of the payment was made by credit card, provided the total purchase price is between £100 and £30,000. If you paid a £50 deposit by credit card and the remainder by bank transfer for a holiday costing £3,000, Section 75 covers the full £3,000 claim even though only £50 was on the card. This is one of the most important and underused aspects of Section 75 protection.
What if the company I bought from has gone bust?
An insolvency is one of the most valuable use cases for both chargeback and Section 75. If you paid by credit card and the purchase price was between £100 and £30,000, Section 75 allows you to claim the full amount from your credit card issuer, which cannot refuse on the grounds that the merchant is insolvent. For debit card purchases or credit card purchases outside the Section 75 range, a chargeback may still be possible within the relevant time limit, with insolvency as the ground. Act quickly as insolvency typically triggers the clock on time-limited claims.
How we verified this guide
Chargeback time limits were confirmed from Visa and Mastercard's published dispute rules. Section 75 joint liability provisions were verified from the Consumer Credit Act 1974 Section 75 text. PSR 2017 unauthorised transaction rules were confirmed from Regulations 75-77 of the Payment Services Regulations 2017. PSR mandatory APP fraud reimbursement was confirmed from PSR policy statement PS23/3.
Primary sources
- Consumer Credit Act 1974 - Section 75
- Payment Services Regulations 2017 - Unauthorised transactions
- Financial Ombudsman Service - Card payment disputes
- MoneyHelper - Section 75 and chargeback explained
- Citizens Advice - Consumer rights and refunds
Last reviewed: May 2026.