What is chargeback?
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In short: Chargeback is a card-scheme dispute process that lets your bank reverse a payment if goods or services were not delivered, were faulty, or the merchant did not honour a refund. It is not the same as Section 75 — it applies to debit and credit cards but is a voluntary scheme, not a statutory right.
Last reviewed:
Reviewed by Kaiser Khan
When you pay by card, chargeback allows your bank or card issuer to claw back money from the merchant's bank and return it to you. Common grounds include non-delivery, goods not as described, duplicate charges, cancelled subscriptions still billed, and company insolvency. Each card network (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) sets its own time limits — often 120 days from the transaction or expected delivery date.
Chargeback differs from Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. Section 75 makes your credit card provider jointly liable with the retailer on qualifying purchases between £100 and £30,000. Chargeback can cover debit card payments and smaller credit card amounts, but it is a dispute process run through the card schemes rather than a legal right — the bank decides whether to raise a claim.
To request chargeback, contact your bank promptly with evidence: order confirmations, correspondence with the retailer, photos of faulty goods, and proof you tried to resolve the issue first. The merchant can challenge the claim, and there is no guarantee the bank will succeed.
Chargeback also applies to some bank transfers in limited circumstances, such as authorised push payment fraud where your bank is signed up to the CRM Code. For card purchases, act quickly, keep records, and use chargeback alongside — not instead of — your statutory consumer rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Primary source: gov.uk/consumer-protection-rights
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