Section 75 Consumer Credit Act Claim — 2026 Guide

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is the most powerful consumer protection in English law — and most consumers don’t know it exists, while their credit card issuers don’t rush to remind them.

What s.75 does

If you buy goods or services between £100 and £30,000 and use credit (credit card, personal loan linked to the purchase, store finance) for any part of the transaction, the credit provider is jointly and severally liable with the supplier for:

• Breach of contract (non-delivery, defective goods, service not as promised)
• Misrepresentation (pre-contract statements that induced the purchase)

You can pursue either the supplier or the credit provider. If the supplier has gone bust, disappeared, or is refusing to engage, you go straight to the credit provider — who is equally liable in law.

The £100–£30,000 rule

Applies to the cash price of a single item or service, not the amount paid on credit. A £5,000 bathroom installation paid with a £500 deposit on credit card and the rest on debit is a valid s.75 claim for the full £5,000 — the £500 on credit is the gateway.

What qualifies

• Holidays (airline or package where supplier has failed)
• Weddings, events, catering
• Home improvements (kitchens, bathrooms, solar panels, windows)
• Vehicles (car not delivered, not as described, defective)
• Electronics (not delivered, defective, DOA)
• Professional services not provided
• Furniture not delivered or defective

Structure — the Litigant Standard

1. The contract and breach

Attach the invoice, receipt, contract. Describe what was promised and what was delivered (or not).

2. The s.75 hook

“Payment of £X was made using the [Issuer] credit card on [date]. Accordingly, under s.75 Consumer Credit Act 1974, [Issuer] is jointly and severally liable with [Supplier] for the breach / misrepresentation described above.”

3. The supplier’s position

“Supplier has [refused to remedy / ceased trading / failed to respond]. In the circumstances, the claim is brought directly against the Issuer under s.75.”

4. The remedy

“Refund of £X. Damages for [consequential loss]. Interest. Resolution within 8 weeks, failing which the matter will be escalated to the Financial Ombudsman Service.”

What issuers try to say

• “Use chargeback instead” — chargeback is shorter (120 days typically) and is a scheme rule, not a statutory right. S.75 is a statutory right; use both if within window, use s.75 if chargeback window closed.
• “The supplier is the party liable” — s.75 says jointly and severally. Both are liable.
• “The payment was to a third-party processor (PayPal, Klarna)” — debated. Some processors break the s.75 chain; issuers often concede and pay anyway. Chris drafts the argument.
• “Outside s.75 limits” — check the £100–£30,000 cash-price rule carefully.

Going to FOS after a s.75 refusal

If the issuer refuses, complain to the bank’s customer services. Get the Final Response. Go to FOS within 6 months. Section 75 refusals are one of the most successful complaint categories at FOS.

The ombudsman route is free to the consumer, and the drafting is where complaints are won — our step-by-step guide to making a Financial Ombudsman Service complaint covers the final response, the six-month deadline and how to structure the complaint itself.

Can Chris draft the s.75 claim?

Yes. Upload receipt, credit card statement, contract, correspondence with supplier. Chris drafts the s.75 claim to the issuer with full regulatory framing, and the follow-on FOS complaint if refused. No claims company taking 30%.

Prepare to win. Plan not to fail.

The statute has been on the books since 1974. Most consumers have never used it. You should.

Frequently asked questions

What is Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974?

It is a consumer protection that makes your credit provider jointly and severally liable, alongside the supplier, for breach of contract or misrepresentation when you bought goods or services using credit. You can pursue either the supplier or the credit provider, and if the supplier has gone bust, disappeared or refuses to engage you can claim directly against the credit provider, who is equally liable in law.

What purchases qualify for a Section 75 claim?

The cash price of the single item or service must fall between £100 and £30,000, and credit (a credit card, a linked personal loan or store finance) must have been used for any part of the transaction. The band applies to the cash price, not the amount paid on credit — so a £5,000 installation with only a £500 deposit on credit card can be a valid claim for the full £5,000. Common examples include holidays, weddings and events, home improvements, vehicles, electronics, furniture and professional services not provided. For travel-sector failures specifically, see our holiday refund guide under the Package Travel Regulations and our flight delay compensation guide — both remedies can run alongside a Section 75 claim.

How is Section 75 different from chargeback?

Chargeback is a card-scheme rule with a shorter window (typically 120 days), not a statutory right. Section 75 is a statutory right. You can use both if you are within the chargeback window, and rely on s.75 if that window has closed. Our chargeback guide to Visa, Mastercard and Amex disputes explains the scheme-rule route in full.

What do issuers try to say to deflect a claim, and how do you answer?

Common lines are “use chargeback instead”, “the supplier is the party liable” (s.75 says jointly and severally — both are liable), “the payment went through a third-party processor such as PayPal or Klarna” (debated; issuers often concede and pay anyway), and “outside s.75 limits” (check the £100–£30,000 cash-price rule carefully). Chris drafts the argument to meet each one.

What goes into a well-structured Section 75 letter?

The page sets out the structure: the contract and breach (with invoice, receipt and contract attached), the s.75 hook naming the issuer’s joint-and-several liability, the supplier’s position, and the remedy — refund, damages for consequential loss, interest, and resolution within eight weeks failing which the matter is escalated to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

What happens if the issuer refuses?

Complain to the bank’s customer services and obtain the Final Response, then take the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months. Section 75 refusals are one of the most successful complaint categories at the FOS. Chris drafts both the claim and the follow-on FOS complaint.

Related guides: N1 claim form guide · Letter before action guide · Small claims court guide · All civil court forms