What Section 75 covers

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card provider jointly and equally liable, alongside the retailer, if something goes wrong with a purchase — faulty goods, a company going bust before delivering, or goods significantly not as described. This means you can claim against your card provider directly if the retailer won't help or no longer exists.

The key value thresholds

Section 75 protection applies to purchases costing more than £100 and up to £30,000 (per item, not per transaction — so paying a £50 deposit by card on an item costing £150 in total can still trigger protection, since the total cash price of the item is what matters).

What it doesn't cover

  • Purchases on a debit card (a different, weaker protection called "chargeback" may apply instead, but it's not a legal right in the same way)
  • Purchases below £100 in total value
  • Purchases made via a third-party payment method where the credit card wasn't used to pay the retailer directly (some online marketplaces and payment intermediaries can complicate this)

How to make a claim

Contact your card provider, explain the issue and that you're claiming under Section 75, and provide evidence of the purchase (statement showing the transaction, correspondence with the retailer, and details of what went wrong). Try resolving the issue with the retailer first where possible, though this isn't always a strict legal requirement before claiming.

Why it matters for larger purchases

Because of the value and protection involved, many people deliberately choose to pay for larger purchases — holidays, furniture, electronics — with a credit card specifically to gain Section 75 protection, even if they then pay off the balance in full immediately to avoid any interest.

Key takeaways

  • Section 75 makes your card provider jointly liable for problems with purchases between £100 and £30,000.
  • It applies per item, so part-payment by card on a qualifying item can still trigger protection.
  • Debit cards don't have this legal protection — only the weaker chargeback process.
  • Many people use credit cards for larger purchases specifically to gain this protection.