Be Wise › Consumer Wise guides › Payment protection

Chargeback: getting a card payment reversed

Chargeback lets you ask your bank or card provider to reverse a debit, credit or prepaid card payment when something goes wrong, such as goods not arriving or a seller going out of business. It is a card scheme rule rather than a legal right, and there is usually a time limit of 120 days.

Reviewed 23 September 2026 · applies across the UK unless a nation is named · sources listed below · how we check

How it works

Your card provider asks the seller's bank to return the money under the rules of the card scheme, such as Visa, Mastercard or American Express. The seller can challenge the claim, and your provider is not obliged to succeed, only to consider the request under the scheme rules.

When to use it

• You paid by debit card, so Section 75 does not apply.
• You paid by credit card but the item cost £100 or less.
• Goods or services did not arrive, were faulty or were not as described.
• The seller has gone out of business.

If you paid by debit card, there is no minimum or maximum amount.

Time limits

The usual limit is 120 days, counted from the date of the payment or, depending on the scheme and the problem, from the date you expected to receive the goods or service. Act as soon as you know something has gone wrong.

Chargeback and Section 75 compared

If your bank handles it badly

Complain to your bank first. If you are not happy with its final response, the Financial Ombudsman Service can look at whether the bank handled your chargeback request fairly.

Official sources

• Visa: Chargeback and purchase disputes
• Citizens Advice: Getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal
• Financial Ombudsman Service

Reviewed 2026-09-23. General legal information about UK consumer rights, not legal advice.