Section 75 refunds: protection for your credit card purchases

Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, your credit card can give you extra protection when the goods or services you buy fall short of your expectations. Ruth Jackson-Kirby explains how it works.

People with cucumbers on their eyes
Services such as spa treatments are also covered by Section 75 protection
(Image credit: © Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The amount of money we are putting on our credit cards is steadily increasing as we seek to spread our rising expenses. But are you aware of the extra protection your credit card provides?

Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, your credit-card provider is “jointly and severally liable” for your purchases. In practice this means that if you pay for something with your credit card the lender is just as liable as the company you made the purchase from if something goes wrong.

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Ruth Jackson-Kirby

Ruth Jackson-Kirby is a freelance personal finance journalist with 17 years’ experience, writing about everything from savings accounts and credit cards to pensions, property and pet insurance.

Ruth started her career at MoneyWeek after graduating with an MA from the University of St Andrews, and she continues to contribute regular articles to our personal finance section. After leaving MoneyWeek she went on to become deputy editor of Moneywise before becoming a freelance journalist.

Ruth writes regularly for national publications including The Sunday Times, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and Good Housekeeping, among many other titles both online and offline.