Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card company jointly and equally liable with the trader when something you bought goes wrong. If the trader breaks the contract (for example, the goods never arrive or are faulty) or misrepresents what you are buying, you can claim the money back from your card provider instead of, or as well as, the trader. It is the reason people say a credit card gives you “purchase protection”.
In short: pay for something costing over £100 and up to £30,000 with a credit card (even partly), buy it directly from a business, and if the business lets you down your card provider is equally responsible for putting it right.
| Condition | What it means |
|---|---|
| Price of over £100 and up to £30,000 | The cash price of a single item (or a set sold as one item) — not your basket total, and not just the amount you put on the card |
| Paid by credit card | A UK credit card. Debit, charge and prepaid cards are not covered by Section 75 (use chargeback instead) |
| Bought from a business | Not from a private seller |
| A direct link between you, the card provider and the trader | Paying through a middleman such as PayPal usually breaks the link |
Partial payment tip: you only need to pay part of the price on your credit card. Pay a £200 deposit by credit card on a £5,000 kitchen and the whole £5,000 can be claimed under Section 75 if the trader fails to deliver.
Section 75 does not cover an item costing £100 or less, even if your basket total was higher (three £40 items bought together are not covered). For smaller purchases, use chargeback: ask your card provider to reverse the payment under the Visa, Mastercard or American Express scheme rules. Chargeback has no minimum value and works on credit and debit cards, but it is not a legal right, so the provider can refuse.
You can generally make a Section 75 claim for up to six years from the date of the breach (five years in Scotland), because the claim is based on the same contract rights you have against the trader. In practice, claim as soon as you can: evidence is easier to gather and providers handle recent claims faster. Chargeback is much shorter — usually 120 days from the transaction or from when you expected the goods or service.
| Section 75 | Chargeback | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal right? | Yes — Consumer Credit Act 1974 | No — card scheme rules |
| Cards | Credit cards | Credit, debit and some prepaid cards |
| Value | Over £100, up to £30,000 | No minimum |
| Time limit | Usually up to 6 years | Usually 120 days |
| Extra losses | Can be claimed | Limited to the amount paid |
If you paid by debit card, Section 75 does not apply, but you still have your full rights against the trader under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and you can ask your bank for a chargeback. Contact the bank promptly, explain what went wrong and send the same evidence you would for a Section 75 claim. If the bank handles the request badly, you can complain to it and then to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes a credit card provider jointly liable with the trader for breach of contract or misrepresentation on purchases of over £100 and up to £30,000 paid for, even partly, by credit card.
No. An item costing £100 or less is not covered, even if your total order was higher. Use chargeback instead, which has no minimum value.
Usually up to six years from the breach in England and Wales (five years in Scotland). Chargeback usually has to be requested within 120 days.
Usually not. Paying through PayPal or a similar service normally breaks the direct link between you, the card provider and the trader. PayPal’s own buyer protection may help instead.
Ask for a final response in writing, then complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free. You can usually go to the Ombudsman after 8 weeks, and within 6 months of the provider’s final response.
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