In the UK, the fastest route is usually your card provider, not the failed retailer. A qualifying credit-card purchase may be covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. A debit-card, prepaid-card or non-qualifying credit-card payment may be eligible for chargeback, although chargeback is a card-scheme process and is not guaranteed. If neither route recovers the money, register as a creditor in the retailer’s insolvency case.
This guide is UK-focused because Section 75, chargeback deadlines and insolvency procedures differ by country. Readers elsewhere should use their own card-dispute and insolvency rules; a US credit-card dispute may be possible, but the eligibility tests and deadlines are not established here.
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What to do first
- Confirm the retailer’s status. Check its website, customer-service channels and official insolvency notices. Establish whether it is still trading, in administration or in liquidation. Record the name and contact details of the appointed administrator or liquidator if one is listed.
- Preserve your evidence. Save the order confirmation, invoice, payment record, promised delivery date, tracking information, product listing, emails, chat transcripts and any notice that the company has stopped trading. Keep screenshots or downloaded copies in case the website disappears.
- Contact the retailer when that is practical. If a functioning business is still accepting enquiries, write with the order number, item, amount, payment date and expected delivery date. Ask for delivery or a refund and keep the response. The Financial Conduct Authority says approaching the retailer is usually the quickest route when it is operating.
- Do not wait for a pointless response. If the retailer has vanished or is clearly in liquidation, MoneyHelper says you can make a card claim without first pursuing a futile contact attempt. Start the card-provider process promptly.
Insolvency status can change quickly. A company in administration may continue trading under an administrator, while a liquidated company is being wound up. The card route and the creditor route can run in parallel, but tell the insolvency practitioner if your bank later refunds you so the same loss is not claimed twice.
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| Route | When it is usually relevant | What it is | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 75 | Eligible UK credit-card purchase | Statutory claim against the card provider under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 | The purchase must cost more than £100 and no more than £30,000; the transaction structure and payment method must fit the legal requirements |
| Chargeback | Debit, credit or prepaid card payment for goods not received | Card-scheme dispute process | Time-limited and not guaranteed; the bank or card provider can reject it |
| Creditor claim | The retailer is insolvent and card recovery is unavailable or unsuccessful | Registration of the debt in the administration or liquidation | Any distribution depends on the case’s assets and creditor ranking |
| Complaint and Ombudsman | Your card provider mishandles a Section 75 or chargeback request | Financial-services complaint process | You must complain to the provider first and meet the Financial Ombudsman Service’s eligibility and referral rules |
Section 75: claiming on a UK credit card
Section 75 makes the credit-card provider jointly responsible with the supplier for certain breaches of contract or misrepresentation. In the insolvency context, the usual breach is that you paid for goods or services that were not supplied because the retailer failed.
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MoneyHelper describes the core band this way: "If you use your credit card to buy something costing more than £100 and up to £30,000, you’re covered by ‘section 75’ of the Consumer Credit Act." The figures are eligibility thresholds, not a guarantee that every transaction in that range will be paid. The purchase must also have the required debtor–creditor–supplier relationship and a qualifying credit agreement.
Check the price and payment structure
- The purchase price must be over £100, not £100 exactly, and no more than £30,000.
- MoneyHelper says paying only part of the purchase on the credit card can still qualify. Keep evidence of the total price and the amount charged to the card.
- Do not assume that a third-party wallet, buy-now-pay-later arrangement or other intermediary automatically preserves Section 75 protection. The payment structure can affect whether the statutory relationship exists.
- If several items were bought together, ask the card provider how it treats the transaction rather than assuming that the basket total or each item automatically meets the threshold.
Submit a clear Section 75 claim
- Use the card issuer’s current dispute or Section 75 channel. This may be an online form, secure message, telephone team or postal address; ask which route creates a formal claim.
- State plainly that you are making a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for goods or services not supplied because the retailer has stopped trading or become insolvent.
- Provide the retailer’s name, the order number, what you bought, the purchase date, the total price, the amount charged to the card and the expected delivery date.
- Attach the order confirmation, receipt or invoice, card statement entry, delivery evidence, insolvency notice and your written communications with the retailer.
- Explain the remedy you want: normally a refund of the amount lost, including any relevant delivery charge shown in the claim.
- Save the submitted form, email, attachments and case reference. Ask when the provider expects to decide and what further evidence it needs.
A Section 75 claim is against the card provider, so the retailer’s lack of response does not by itself end the process. The provider will assess the legal conditions and evidence. If it says the purchase is outside Section 75, ask for the decision and the precise reason in writing; you may still have a chargeback option if the payment was by card and the deadline has not expired.
Chargeback for debit, prepaid or non-qualifying credit-card payments
Chargeback is available through card-scheme rules rather than the statutory Section 75 right. MoneyHelper says it can apply to debit, credit and prepaid cards, including a claim for goods not received. A successful chargeback reverses the card transaction, but the provider or merchant can challenge it and the outcome is not assured.
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MoneyHelper gives a 120-day chargeback claim period. The starting point depends on the circumstances. For an ordinary order, it commonly runs from the transaction or the point at which the problem became clear; for a future-dated purchase, the 120 days starts when the event or delivery should have happened. Because the correct start date is fact-specific, ask the bank to confirm the deadline and submit as soon as you know the retailer will not deliver.
How to request chargeback
- Tell the bank or card provider that you want to raise a chargeback for goods or services not received.
- Give the transaction date, amount, retailer name, card type, expected delivery date and the date you learned of the insolvency.
- Attach proof of payment, the order confirmation, promised delivery date, failed delivery or cancellation evidence, insolvency information and your attempts to resolve the matter.
- Ask the provider to record the claim date and confirm the applicable 120-day deadline in writing.
- Respond quickly if the provider requests a signed statement, extra documents or evidence that the transaction was not refunded elsewhere.
Citizens Advice warns that a bank or card provider may refuse chargeback. That refusal does not prove that the retailer’s insolvency claim is invalid; it means the card-scheme process did not produce a refund. Ask for the reason, check whether a Section 75 claim is available, and consider the provider’s formal complaint process.
What evidence to collect
Build one folder containing the facts a claims handler must verify. A chronological file is easier to assess than a series of disconnected screenshots.
- Order number, product description, quantity and advertised price.
- Receipt, invoice or order-confirmation email.
- Card or payment-account statement showing the transaction, date and amount.
- Promised dispatch or delivery date, tracking number and any failed-delivery notice.
- Emails, letters, web-chat transcripts and call notes with dates and names where available.
- Retailer announcements, Companies House or official insolvency notices and the administrator’s or liquidator’s contact details.
- A copy of every Section 75, chargeback or complaint form submitted, including attachments and reference numbers.
- Details of any partial refund, replacement, insurance payment or other recovery already received.
Do not send original documents or give a card provider more personal information than its claim process requires. Redact unrelated transactions from a statement while leaving the disputed transaction, account-holder name and statement date visible.
When and how to contact the retailer
If the company still has a working support channel, a short written request can resolve the issue faster than a formal dispute. Include the order number, item, amount paid, payment date, delivery promise and the outcome requested. Give a reasonable response deadline, but do not let that deadline push a chargeback claim past 120 days.
Subject: Order [order number] — goods not delivered / refund requestedI paid £[amount] on [date] for [item]. The promised delivery date was [date], and the order has not arrived. Please confirm by [date] whether you will deliver or refund the payment. If the business is unable to fulfil the order, please treat this as a request for a full refund.When the retailer is clearly in liquidation, asking a closed customer-service inbox for a response adds little value. Use the insolvency notice and card-provider evidence instead. If an administrator is trading the business, follow its stated returns or cancellation instructions and keep proof that you did so.
If the card claim does not recover your money: register as a creditor
Locate the appointed administrator or liquidator through the retailer’s official notices. The insolvency practitioner will publish instructions for submitting a proof of debt, often with a case reference and a deadline. Follow those case-specific instructions exactly.
Information normally needed
- Your name, address and contact details.
- The retailer’s name and insolvency case reference.
- Order and invoice details, amount paid and date of payment.
- A statement that the goods or services were not supplied, or that a refund remains due.
- Supporting documents such as the receipt, card statement and correspondence.
- Details of any Section 75, chargeback, insurance or other claim, including amounts received.
Registration records the debt in the insolvency. It does not guarantee a full refund or any refund at all. The amount available depends on assets, costs of the insolvency and the legal ranking of creditors. If a card provider later pays you, notify the insolvency practitioner so the claim can be corrected.
What to do if the card provider mishandles the claim
- Make a formal complaint to the provider. Explain the original claim, the documents supplied, the decision or delay and the remedy you want. Keep the complaint reference and date.
- Ask for the evidence-based reason. For a Section 75 refusal, ask which statutory condition was said not to apply. For chargeback, ask which scheme rule or deadline was relied on.
- Use the Financial Ombudsman Service where eligible. The Ombudsman can consider some complaints about how a financial firm handled Section 75 or chargeback claims. Check its current complaint and referral rules, because eligibility and time limits apply.
The Ombudsman reviews the provider’s handling; it does not turn every failed chargeback into an automatic refund. Submit the provider’s final response and your evidence if the case is accepted for referral.
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Common mistakes that reduce the chance of recovery
Waiting until the insolvency is formally announced
You can prepare a claim as soon as delivery is missed or the retailer stops responding. Waiting for a liquidation notice may consume the chargeback window. Record the date the goods should have arrived and ask your provider how its deadline is calculated.
Calling without keeping a record
Telephone conversations can be useful, but write down the date, department, adviser’s name, case number and outcome. Follow up by secure message or email so the key facts are documented.
Calling chargeback a legal entitlement
Section 75 is statutory when its conditions are met. Chargeback is different: it is governed by card-scheme rules, can be challenged and can be rejected. Use the correct term in your request and do not promise yourself a refund before the provider decides.
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Assuming every credit-card payment qualifies
The £100-to-£30,000 band is necessary but not sufficient. The type of credit agreement, supplier relationship and payment path matter. If an intermediary handled the payment, ask the issuer to assess the precise transaction structure.
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Registering a creditor claim and then forgetting it
Keep the case reference, update your address, read progress reports and notify the practitioner of a card refund. Insolvency distributions can take time and may require a further form or identity check.
Worked examples
Credit card, £450 order, retailer in liquidation
You paid £450 on a UK credit card for a laptop due on 10 September. The retailer’s website now carries a liquidation notice and no delivery occurred. Save the order and notice, submit a Section 75 claim stating that the goods were not supplied, and register the £450 debt with the liquidator. If the card provider refunds you, update the liquidator.
Debit card, £80 order, future delivery date
You paid £80 by debit card for an item due at the end of next month. The retailer has stopped trading. Ask the bank for chargeback and confirm when its 120-day period starts for a future purchase; MoneyHelper says the period starts when the event should have happened. Submit promptly rather than waiting for the entire period to pass.
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Credit card, £2,000 purchase through an intermediary
You paid a £2,000 deposit or instalment through a third-party payment arrangement. Do not assume Section 75 applies solely because a credit card was involved. Ask the issuer to assess the debtor–creditor–supplier relationship and, if appropriate, raise chargeback before its deadline. Also follow the insolvency practitioner’s creditor-registration instructions.
Rules outside the UK
This article does not establish a universal refund right. The UK thresholds, the 120-day chargeback period and the insolvency terminology above should not be transplanted to another country. In the United States, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains that consumers can dispute certain credit-card purchases, but the applicable notice, billing-error and timing rules differ. Elsewhere, check the card network, issuing bank, consumer regulator and insolvency register for the country where the card account and retailer are based.
Quick Recap
Final checklist
- Confirm whether the retailer is trading, in administration or in liquidation.
- Save the order, payment, delivery and communication records.
- Contact the retailer in writing if it is reachable and practical.
- For a qualifying UK credit-card purchase over £100 and up to £30,000, request a Section 75 assessment.
- For a debit, prepaid or other card payment, ask for chargeback and confirm the 120-day deadline for your facts.
- Register as a creditor if payment recovery is unavailable or fails.
- Complain to the card provider and consider the Financial Ombudsman Service if the claim was mishandled.
- Tell every party about any refund or other recovery to prevent duplicate payment.
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