How to get a refund for a UK supplier prepayment when an order wasn’t delivered

If you paid a UK supplier in advance and the order never arrived, your most useful immediate options are: (1) ask the trader in writing for redelivery or a refund and keep records; (2) if you paid by credit card and the purchase’s cash price is between £100 and £30,000, consider a Section 75 claim against your card issuer; (3) if Section 75 does not apply, ask your card or bank to use chargeback or the provider’s dispute process; and (4) if those fail, you can bring a small‑claims court action. The routes you can use and their chances of success depend on how you paid, whether a delivery period was agreed, and whether the trader is still trading.

These steps are explained in more detail below, with practical examples and the key official sources you should consult at each stage.

Step 1 — Ask the supplier, record everything, and know the delivery window

Always start by asking the seller to re‑deliver the goods or refund your prepayment, and do it in writing (email, recorded chat, or letter). Citizens Advice recommends this as the first move and explains what to say when an order hasn’t arrived; keep all responses and timestamps as evidence (Citizens Advice — If something you ordered hasn’t arrived).

If you and the trader agreed a specific delivery date, that date controls. If no date was fixed, government guidance and Citizens Advice treat a “reasonable time” as the benchmark — typically up to 30 days unless you agreed otherwise. Once the delivery period you specified has passed, you may treat the contract as ended and request a refund under the Consumer Contracts Regulations; the Regulations and official guidance explain this right (Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, Part 5 and implementing guidance (see the GOV.UK PDF)). Use this evidence to make your next claim clear and documented.

Why this matters: a written demand identifies the problem, fixes dates, and creates the record you’ll need for a card dispute or a court claim.

Step 2 — Use payment protections where they apply: Section 75 and chargeback

If you paid by credit card and the item’s cash price is between £100 and £30,000, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 gives you a statutory right to hold the card issuer jointly liable with the supplier for misrepresentation or failure to deliver. Consult the statute for exact wording and to check whether your situation fits the definition of a qualifying credit agreement (Consumer Credit Act 1974 — Section 75).

Example: you prepaid £1,200 for specialised equipment and it never arrives. If that £1,200 counts as the cash price, you can raise a Section 75 claim with your credit‑card company asking for a refund; include your written request to the supplier and any delivery terms you relied on.

If Section 75 does not apply — for example, you paid by debit card, by credit card for under £100, or used some third‑party payment services — ask your bank or card issuer to pursue a chargeback under the card network rules. Chargeback is a voluntary scheme the bank runs with the card network; it can succeed for non‑delivery, but it is discretionary and depends on your issuer and the merchant’s acquirer. Which? and Citizens Advice explain when chargeback is appropriate and the practical limits (Which? — How do I use chargeback?).

Practical points:

• Start a Section 75 claim or chargeback promptly, because providers may have time limits.
• Give your issuer the supplier correspondence, order confirmation, delivery dates, and proof of payment.
• If the issuer refuses, use its internal complaints process; for regulated financial firms you may later take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Step 3 — Other payment routes and what to expect if the trader has stopped trading

If you used PayPal, a bank transfer, or Buy‑Now‑Pay‑Later, your remedy depends on that provider’s dispute process and terms. Citizens Advice maintains guidance for card and PayPal refunds and what to try if a seller disappears (Citizens Advice — Getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal).

If the trader has ceased trading or is insolvent, the situation becomes more complex. Your ability to recover a prepayment depends on whether the payment is protected by Section 75, chargeback, or some trust/insurance arrangement. The Government’s response to the Law Commission’s report on consumer prepayments on retailer insolvency explains these limits and why specialist advice may be needed in insolvency cases (GOV.UK — consumer prepayments on retailer insolvency).

Step 4 — Small claims court if other routes fail

If the supplier refuses to refund and payment‑route remedies fail, you can bring a money claim in the county or sheriff court. GOV.UK explains the online service to "Make a court claim for money" and sets out the practical process for England & Wales (GOV.UK — Make a court claim for money). Procedures differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland, so check local Citizens Advice or court guidance before you proceed.

What to consider before court:

• Small claims suits have filing fees and a time cost; realistically weigh these against the amount you’re seeking.
• A clear paper trail (order confirmation, written refund request, evidence of missed delivery window, responses) makes a claim far stronger.
• If the trader is insolvent, a court judgment may still be difficult to enforce; insolvency adds complexity best handled with specialist advice.

Practical checklist and a realistic example

Checklist: keep order confirmations, payment receipts, written refund requests and replies, delivery terms/dates, and any courier tracking. Use these documents when contacting the card issuer or preparing a court claim.

Illustrative example (not a real case): Jane pays £350 by debit card for bespoke furniture with a 21‑day delivery promise. Day 22 passes with no delivery and no useful response. Jane emails the seller asking for redelivery or a refund (save the email). Because she used a debit card, Section 75 is unlikely to apply; she asks her bank for chargeback with the seller correspondence attached. If the bank declines, she prepares a small‑claims application using the GOV.UK online service.

When to get specialist advice and final notes

If your situation involves mixed or partial payments, complex failure to deliver, or the supplier’s insolvency, the applicable law can be fact specific. The Consumer Credit Act text and the Law Commission/GOV.UK materials explain limits on protections like Section 75; where those details matter, consider specialist legal or advice services. See the statute for Section 75 (Consumer Credit Act 1974 — Section 75) and the Law Commission response above for insolvency issues.

A well‑drafted written demand helps most claims—if you prefer a professional document to state the factual basis and request payment, a prepared demand letter can be a useful next step. For help producing a professional demand letter from supplied information, see .

Remember: start with the supplier, collect and preserve evidence, choose the remedy that matches your payment method, and escalate to court only after other practical routes are exhausted. The official sources linked above explain the legal framework and practical procedures you will rely on along the way.

For help preparing a professional demand letter, BeforeSuit can help you prepare your next steps.