How a pram or pushchair is paid for can matter as much as which one is chosen. If the seller goes out of business, never delivers, or supplies something faulty, the payment method can decide whether there is a second route to a refund beyond the seller itself. Two protections are relevant: Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, which applies to certain credit purchases, and chargeback, a card scheme process. This guide explains how each works, drawing on the legislation and on the Financial Ombudsman Service and Citizens Advice.
Section 75: a legal right against the card provider
Section 75 lets a buyer who used credit make a claim against the credit provider as well as the seller. Under the Act, if a buyer has a claim against the supplier for misrepresentation or breach of contract on a transaction financed by a qualifying credit agreement, they have a like claim against the creditor, who is jointly and severally liable with the supplier (legislation.gov.uk, Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 75). The section applies across the UK. It does not cover a claim relating to a single item to which the supplier has attached a cash price of £100 or less, or more than £30,000.
The Financial Ombudsman Service explains that what matters is the cash price of the goods, not the amount paid on the card, so Section 75 applies even if only part of the payment was made by credit card. It applies where some or all of the cost was paid by credit card, with a point-of-sale loan or with certain catalogue shopping accounts, and where the cash price is more than £100 but not more than £30,000. It does not apply if payment was by debit card or charge card, or by cash, credit card cheque or bank transfer (Financial Ombudsman Service, “Problems with goods and services bought using a debit card or credit (Section 75 and chargeback)”).
What that means for a pushchair purchase
- A pram costing £250 paid by credit card: Section 75 can apply, because the price is within the range.
- A £90 pushchair paid by credit card: Section 75 does not apply, because the single item is priced at £100 or less.
- A £250 pram with £50 paid by credit card and the rest by another method: Section 75 can still apply, and the claim can be for the full amount, according to Citizens Advice’s worked example of a £250 oven paid partly by credit card and partly by cash.
Citizens Advice adds that the £100 and £30,000 limits relate to the single item being claimed for, not the whole order. It also says Section 75 usually cannot be used where the buyer did not buy directly from the trader, for example through an online marketplace, a voucher site, a payment wallet or a travel agent, although the card provider may still be asked. In that case it advises asking for chargeback instead (Citizens Advice, “Getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal”). That page is written for England, with separate versions for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Chargeback: a card scheme process, not a statutory right
The Financial Ombudsman Service describes chargeback as a way to challenge and claw back payments made by debit or credit card, available only in certain circumstances. The bank or lender will ask for supporting evidence. Each of the main card schemes, Visa, Mastercard and American Express, has different chargeback rules, so the details should be checked with the card provider. The Ombudsman adds that a bank or lender does not have to raise a chargeback, and that chargebacks can fail.
The reasons it lists as often valid include goods that do not match the description, goods that never arrived, goods that arrived broken or defective, a promised refund that never came, and a supply cancelled in line with the supplier’s policy but not refunded. It says people usually have around 120 days to raise a chargeback, from the date they expected the goods and did not receive them or the date they received something defective or not as described, though time limits may be longer or shorter depending on the circumstances.
What chargeback can and cannot recover
Citizens Advice says a chargeback covers only what was paid by that card, not what was paid by other methods. Its example is a faulty washing machine bought for £250 with a £50 card deposit and £200 in cash: chargeback would recover the £50, while a credit card claim under Section 75 would probably recover more. It adds that the trader can challenge a refund even after the money is returned.
Contact the seller first
Citizens Advice advises that it is usually best to contact the trader first, following any complaints procedure, and preferably by email or letter with a copy kept. If the trader cannot be contacted or will not help, the next step is to ask the card provider. A buyer using a buy now, pay later provider should check that provider’s help first. The Ombudsman likewise says a buyer should be ready with receipts, terms and conditions, and marketing material such as screenshots, and that a chargeback claim usually requires showing an attempt to resolve the problem with the supplier.
Tying it back to the law on faults
The Ombudsman notes that Section 75 sits within wider consumer rights, and that a lender considering a claim would look at relevant consumer law, likely including the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Our guide to faulty pushchair rights sets out those statutory remedies.
The bottom line
Paying for a pram by credit card can give a second route to a refund under Section 75, but only where the single item costs more than £100 and up to £30,000 and the purchase was made directly from the trader. Debit card payments rely on chargeback, a card scheme process with a time limit of around 120 days that can fail. Contact the seller first, keep evidence, and ask the card provider for help if the seller cannot or will not fix the problem.