What to Do If a Trader Refuses a Refund

Start by working out whether a refund is actually due

It is easy to assume that any unhappy customer is entitled to their money back, but the law is more precise than that. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If they are not, you have a short-term right to reject them within 30 days of receiving them and claim a full refund. After 30 days, you generally have to give the trader one chance to repair or replace the item before you can ask for your money back.

Different rules apply to services, digital content and purchases made at a distance, such as online or over the phone. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give you 14 days to cancel most distance purchases for any reason at all, starting the day the goods arrive. There are exceptions, including bespoke items, perishable goods and sealed hygiene products that have been opened.

It also helps to be clear about what you are not entitled to. Change of mind in a shop, a wrong size chosen in person, or a price you later found cheaper elsewhere are not legal grounds for a refund, though many retailers offer them as a goodwill gesture. Knowing which side of the line you are on makes everything that follows much easier.

Put your request in writing and set a deadline

Verbal conversations with a manager are easily forgotten. Follow up with an email or a letter, keeping a copy for yourself, and set out the facts in a calm, structured way:

• The date of purchase, the item or service, and the amount paid.
• What is wrong, with dates and any photos or reports if relevant.
• The specific remedy you want — a refund, a repair, or a replacement.
• A reasonable deadline, usually 14 days, for them to respond.

Quote the relevant law by name if you can. Phrases such as "this falls short of the satisfactory quality requirement under the Consumer Rights Act 2015" carry far more weight than "I'm not happy". If the trader offers a credit note when you have asked for a refund on faulty goods, you are entitled to decline it.

Use your card provider: chargeback and Section 75

If you paid by card, you have two useful routes that sit outside the trader entirely. The first is chargeback, a scheme offered by card providers for debit and credit cards. It usually applies where goods never arrived, arrived damaged, or were not as described. You generally need to raise it within 120 days of the expected delivery date or the date you became aware of the problem.

The second, and stronger, is Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. This makes your credit card provider jointly liable with the trader for purchases costing between £100 and £30,000, even if you only paid part of the price on the card. It covers misrepresentation and breach of contract, and there is no time limit as strict as chargeback's. Contact the card provider in writing, explain the breach, and enclose your correspondence with the trader.

Take a small claim through the county court

For most disputes under £10,000 in England and Wales, the small claims track is designed to be used without a solicitor. You can issue a claim online through the government's Money Claim Online service. In Scotland, the equivalent is the simple procedure, which handles claims up to £5,000. In Northern Ireland, the small claims court deals with claims up to £3,000.

Before you issue anything, send a formal letter before claim giving the trader 14 days to pay, and keep proof of posting. Court fees are modest for smaller sums and are usually recoverable if you win. The process is deliberately informal: hearings are often by phone or video, and you can represent yourself.

Report the trader and get free advice

If a business is repeatedly refusing legitimate refunds, it may be worth reporting them. In England, Wales and Scotland, contact the Citizens Advice consumer service, which passes on intelligence to Trading Standards. Trading Standards cannot recover your money or act for you individually, but patterns of complaints do lead to investigations and formal action.

Sector regulators may also help. Travel, energy, telecoms and financial services all have ombudsmen or dispute resolution schemes that can order remedies. For a free, impartial view of your particular case, Citizens Advice and local consumer advice centres are excellent first ports of call.

Keep the pressure on — politely but persistently

Most refund disputes are won through simple persistence rather than courtrooms. Keep every message factual, keep a dated log of calls and emails, and never let a deadline pass without a follow-up. Escalate in order: customer services, then a written complaint to head office, then your card provider, then a formal letter before claim.

If you reach a court judgment and it is not paid, you can apply for enforcement, such as a warrant of control or an attachment of earnings order. The sums involved are often small, but the point matters — and the process is far less intimidating than it sounds.