How to Get a Refund for an Online Order in the UK (2026)

United Kingdom

For a UK online order, you have a 14-day cooling-off period from the day after delivery — no reason needed. The seller must refund within 14 days of receiving the item back. If the order was faulty or never arrived, claim under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Section 75 and chargeback are the bank escalation paths.

Three UK refund rights — pick the right one

UK online order refund disputes almost always come down to using the correct right at the correct moment. There are three.

1. The 14-day cooling-off period (no reason required). Source: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Applies to anything bought online, by phone, or by mail-order — i.e. distance sales. You can cancel for any reason within 14 days of delivery. Use this when you've simply changed your mind.

2. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (something's actually wrong). Applies to all sales — online, in-store, by phone. The item must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described. If it isn't, you can reject it for a full refund within 30 days, or demand repair or replacement within 6 months. Use this when the item is faulty, broken, not as described, or the wrong product.

3. Section 75 or chargeback (the seller won't pay up). Source: Consumer Credit Act 1974 (Section 75) and the Visa / Mastercard / Amex scheme rules (chargeback). These are bank-side escalation paths used after the merchant has refused a refund or gone out of business.

The path you pick — and the wording you use in your email — determines whether the seller pushes back. Get this right at step one.

When to use the 14-day cooling-off period

If you ordered something online, it arrived as advertised, but you don't want it any more, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 are your strongest tool.

How it works:

Your 14-day cooling-off window starts the day after delivery.
Within that window, send the seller a written notice (email is fine) that you're cancelling the contract.
You then have 14 more days from sending the notice to return the item.
The seller must refund within 14 days of receiving the returned item — or, if earlier, receiving proof you posted it.
The seller must refund standard outbound delivery as part of the refund.
Return postage is normally yours to pay — unless the seller promised free returns or failed to tell you about return costs before purchase.

Wording for the email:

"I am cancelling the contract for order [number] dated [purchase date] under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Please confirm the return process and the refund timeline."

Some items are excluded — personalised goods, perishables, sealed items unsealed after delivery (e.g. cosmetics), and digital downloads you've started using if the seller told you the cooling-off right would lapse on download. Most physical retail goods are covered.

When to use the Consumer Rights Act 2015

If the item is faulty, broken, missing parts, or not what was described in the listing, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you stronger remedies than the cooling-off period — and you don't pay for return postage.

| Time since delivery | Your right | |---|---| | Within 30 days | Short-term right to reject — full refund, no need to give the seller a chance to repair first | | 30 days – 6 months | Right to repair or replacement; if the seller fails, refund (possibly reduced for use) | | 6 months – 6 years | Same rights, but you must prove the fault existed at delivery |

The seller pays return postage. The refund must go back to the original payment method (not store credit). A "no refunds" notice cannot override this — statutory rights trump shop policies.

Wording:

"Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, I am rejecting order [number] because the item is [faulty/not as described/wrong product]. I require a full refund to the original payment method. Please confirm the return process and refund timeline."

When to use Section 75 (credit card, £100–£30,000)

If the seller refuses a valid refund, has gone out of business, or simply ignores you — and you paid by credit card on a purchase between £100 and £30,000 — Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your card issuer jointly liable with the seller for the full transaction.

That means you can claim the disputed amount back from the bank directly, not the merchant. Section 75 applies even if you only paid the deposit by credit card on a larger purchase. PayPal payments via credit card may also qualify depending on how PayPal processed the transaction.

How to claim:

Gather: order confirmation, the seller's refusal (or evidence they're uncontactable / liquidated), proof of payment, and your statement of what went wrong.
Submit through your credit-card issuer's online dispute portal — most major UK issuers (Barclaycard, NatWest, HSBC, Lloyds, Amex) have one in the app.
The issuer investigates and refunds if your case is valid.
If the issuer refuses, refer the claim to the Financial Ombudsman Service (free) — the FOS regularly sides with consumers on borderline Section 75 cases.

Time limit: 6 years from the breach of contract (5 in Scotland) — much longer than chargeback.

When to use chargeback (debit card, or credit under £100)

For debit card purchases, prepaid card purchases, and credit-card transactions under £100, Section 75 doesn't apply. Use chargeback under Visa, Mastercard or Amex scheme rules instead.

Submit through your card issuer's online dispute portal.
Time limit is typically 120 days from the disputed charge (or from the expected delivery date in non-delivery claims), but some chargeback reason codes have shorter windows.
Chargeback isn't statutory like Section 75 — it's contractual between your bank and the card network. The card networks broadly support disputes for goods not delivered, goods not as described, and unauthorised transactions.

Chargeback is faster but weaker than Section 75. If you're inside the Section 75 eligibility window (credit card, £100+), use that instead.

Escalation: ADR, Financial Ombudsman, Small Claims

If the merchant still refuses after you've tried the above:

Approved ADR scheme. Many UK retailers in regulated sectors (travel, telecoms, energy, home improvement) are members of an Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme. The seller is required to tell you about their ADR provider if you complain. Check Citizens Advice for sector-specific schemes.
Financial Ombudsman Service. Free service if your dispute is with a card issuer (Section 75 refused, chargeback wrongly declined). The FOS decision is binding on the bank up to £430,000 (2026 limits).
Small Claims Court. Last resort for claims under £10,000. Filing fee is small (£35 to £455 depending on claim size, 2026). You don't need a solicitor.

Related UK guides

If you're escalating to your bank, see how to dispute a charge UK. For specific merchants, see how to get a refund from Amazon and how to get an Airbnb refund. For subscription-side issues — recurring charges that won't stop — see how to cancel any subscription (UK).

1
Identify which refund right applies to you
Three different UK refund rights kick in depending on the situation. (a) Changed your mind on an online order: 14-day cooling-off under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. (b) Order faulty, not as described, or didn't arrive: Consumer Rights Act 2015 — refund, repair or replacement. (c) Merchant gone bust or refuses to refund: Section 75 or chargeback through your card issuer.
2
Use the 14-day cooling-off period to change your mind
The 14 days start the day after you receive the order. You don't need a reason. Email the seller stating: 'I am cancelling the contract for [order number] dated [purchase date] under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.' Then return the item within 14 days of sending that notice. Standard outbound delivery is refunded; return postage is usually yours to pay.
3
Use Consumer Rights Act 2015 for faulty or wrong items
If the item is faulty, not as described, or doesn't match the listing, you have 30 days from receipt to reject it for a full refund — no need to give the seller a chance to repair. After 30 days but within 6 months you can demand repair or replacement; if that fails, you can claim a refund (reduced for use). The seller cannot insist on a return-only-store-credit policy.
4
Contact the seller in writing with the right wording
Email the seller with: order number, date of purchase, the issue (changed mind / faulty / not as described / not delivered), the specific statute you're relying on, the remedy you want (refund / repair / replacement), and a deadline (e.g. 14 days). Save copies of everything. Verbal complaints carry less weight if the dispute escalates to your card issuer or the small claims court.
5
Raise a Section 75 claim if you paid by credit card (£100–£30,000)
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card issuer jointly liable with the seller for the full purchase amount when the transaction is between £100 and £30,000 — even if you only paid a deposit by card. Submit a Section 75 claim through your card issuer's online dispute portal, attaching the order confirmation and the seller's refusal. This is the strongest right when eligible.
6
Raise a chargeback for debit cards or sub-£100 credit purchases
For debit cards, prepaid cards, and credit purchases under £100, raise a chargeback under Visa, Mastercard or Amex scheme rules. Submit through your card issuer's online dispute portal. Time limits are usually 120 days from the disputed charge (or from when you expected delivery for non-delivery claims). Chargeback isn't statutory like Section 75 — but the card networks broadly back disputes over undelivered or faulty goods.
7
Escalate to ADR or the Financial Ombudsman if blocked
If the seller is registered with an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme — common in travel, telecoms, energy and home improvement — escalate there. If your card issuer rejects a Section 75 claim you believe is valid, refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service (free; the FOS sides with consumers regularly on disputed Section 75 cases). Small Claims Court is the last resort, under £10,000.

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Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to return an online order in the UK?+

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, you have 14 days from the day after delivery to notify the seller you're cancelling, and a further 14 days to send the item back. The 14-day notice period applies regardless of whether anything is wrong with the item — it's a no-fault cancellation right specific to online and other distance sales.

Who pays for return postage on a UK online order?+

If you're using the 14-day cooling-off right (changed your mind), you typically pay return postage unless the seller agreed otherwise or failed to tell you about return costs before purchase. The original outbound standard delivery charge must be refunded by the seller. If the item is faulty or not as described under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the seller pays return postage.

What if my online order never arrived?+

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the seller is responsible for the goods until you take physical possession. If the order doesn't arrive by the agreed delivery date — or within 30 days where no date was agreed — you can demand redelivery or a full refund. Notify the seller in writing, set a reasonable deadline, and escalate via chargeback if they refuse.

How does Section 75 work for an online order refund?+

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card issuer equally liable with the seller for any purchase between £100 and £30,000 paid wholly or partly by card. If the seller fails to deliver, sends a faulty item, refuses a refund, or goes bust, you can claim back the disputed amount from the card issuer directly — even if you only paid the deposit by card.

What's the time limit on a chargeback in the UK?+

Visa and Mastercard chargeback rules give you up to 120 days from the disputed transaction date in most non-delivery and faulty-goods cases, but some chargeback reasons have shorter windows. The 120-day clock can run from the expected delivery date in non-delivery claims, not the purchase date. Raise the chargeback as soon as the seller refuses to resolve it — don't wait.

Can a UK seller refuse a refund with a 'no refunds' or 'store credit only' policy?+

No, not for statutory rights. A 'no refunds' sign cannot override the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. If the item is faulty, not as described, or you're within the 14-day cooling-off on an online order, the seller is required to refund cash to the original payment method — store credit is not enough to discharge that obligation.

Related guides

Sources

Last updated 2026-05-28.