6 ways to get your money back when a company refuses a refund

The company said no. Maybe a flat "our policy doesn't cover this", maybe silence, maybe a chatbot loop. A refusal is not the end - in the UK you have several routes to your money, most of them free, and companies rely on you not knowing them. Here are six, roughly in the order worth trying.

1. A formal letter citing the Consumer Rights Act

Most refusals are frontline staff following a script. A written complaint that cites the law changes who reads it. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be as described, fit for purpose, and of satisfactory quality - and you get a 30-day right to reject faulty goods for a full refund, then repair/replacement rights after that. Services must be performed with reasonable care and skill.

• Best for: faulty goods, poor workmanship, "policy says no refunds" nonsense (policy doesn't override statute).
• Cost: free. NoReply drafts the letter with the right citations in minutes.

2. Chargeback through your bank

Paid by debit or credit card? Chargeback reverses the payment through the card scheme when goods never arrived, were faulty, or the company won't honour an agreed refund. It's a scheme rule rather than a law, but it works and banks process millions of them.

• Best for: non-delivery, faulty items, refunds promised but never paid.
• Watch out for: the ~120-day window from payment or expected delivery.
• Cost: free - our chargeback tool builds the request.

3. Section 75 for credit card purchases over £100

Spent over £100 and paid any part of it on a credit card? Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act makes the card company jointly liable for breaches of contract - a legal right, not a goodwill gesture. It survives even if the company has gone bust.

• Best for: higher-value purchases, companies in administration, holidays and big tickets.
• Cost: free - check eligibility with the Section 75 checker.

4. The sector's ombudsman or ADR scheme

Regulated sectors have free, independent escalation that binds the company - typically after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter:

• Telecoms: the Communications Ombudsman
• Energy: the Energy Ombudsman
• Banks, cards and insurers: the Financial Ombudsman
• Airlines: aviation ADR schemes

Not sure which applies? The ombudsman finder matches your complaint to the right scheme.

5. Small claims court

For claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, small claims is designed for individuals: no lawyer needed, modest fees you recover if you win, and a surprising number of companies settle the week the claim form arrives. Our small claims calculator works out the fees and whether the maths favours you.

6. Report it - and say you have

Trading Standards (via Citizens Advice), the CMA for market-wide practices, and the sector regulator all take reports. None of them resolves your individual case, but a line in your escalation letter noting that you've reported the practice - accurately - signals you're not going away, and patterns of reports trigger enforcement.

The pattern

Every route gets stronger when the previous one is on paper. The formal letter creates the record; the chargeback or ombudsman case cites it; small claims exhibits all of it. Start the paper trail today - NoReply drafts it so the first letter is one they take seriously.