If a UK online retailer enters administration before delivering your order or paying an agreed refund, contact your payment provider immediately. A qualifying credit-card purchase may be covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Debit-card customers and credit-card purchases outside Section 75 can ask for chargeback. PayPal has a separate dispute process, and a claim to the administrator is another, less certain route.
Do not wait for the administration to finish. Save your order and payment records, confirm the legal retailer named on them, identify the administrator, and ask the relevant provider to confirm its deadline and evidence requirements in writing.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What administration means for your order
Administration is an insolvency procedure intended to protect a company or realise its assets. It does not automatically cancel every order, and it does not guarantee that customers will be refunded. The administrator may continue trading, arrange a sale, fulfil some orders, or stop trading altogether. Until you receive clear instructions, treat an undelivered order or unpaid refund as an unresolved debt.
Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 can still matter. For a normal online sale, the retailer remains responsible for supplying goods that conform to the contract and for dealing with a valid cancellation or refund. However, an insolvency process can make enforcing those rights against the retailer difficult. A card claim or payment-platform dispute is separate from your claim in the administration and may provide a more practical recovery route.
#1 Best Overall
Act first: a same-day checklist
- Confirm the insolvency event. Check the retailer’s website, Companies House information, and any page published by the named insolvency practitioner. Make sure the business is actually in administration rather than temporarily closed, pausing dispatches, or experiencing a website outage.
- Identify the contracting retailer. Compare the legal seller on your order confirmation, invoice and card statement. A marketplace, payment wallet, or fulfilment company may appear in the transaction chain, and that can affect Section 75 eligibility.
- Preserve evidence. Download the order confirmation, invoice, product page, promised delivery date, payment record, refund promise, emails, chat transcripts, cancellation notice and administration announcement. Save copies as PDFs or screenshots because websites can disappear.
- Contact the payment provider. Ask your credit-card issuer about a Section 75 claim; ask a debit-card or other card issuer about chargeback; and use PayPal’s dispute route where applicable. Tell the provider that the supplier has entered administration and has not supplied the goods or paid the agreed refund.
- Ask for the deadline in writing. Chargeback time limits vary by card scheme and transaction facts. PayPal’s published consumer guidance cited by Citizens Advice says a dispute should be opened within 180 days of payment. Confirm the live deadline and required documents with the provider rather than relying on a generic internet timetable.
- Follow the administrator’s customer instructions. Submit proof of the amount owed in the format requested, while continuing any eligible card or platform claim. Do not postpone a payment-provider claim while waiting for an insolvency distribution.
Which refund route applies to your payment?
| Route | When it may apply | Who processes it and what to request |
|---|---|---|
| Section 75 | A single item costing more than £100 and no more than £30,000, bought on credit, where the required debtor–creditor–supplier relationship and a breach or misrepresentation are present. Paying only part of the price by credit card may still qualify. | Your credit-card provider. State that you want a Section 75 claim under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 because the supplier did not deliver or did not provide the agreed refund. Explain any marketplace or intermediary. |
| Chargeback | May cover debit-card payments and some credit-card payments that fall outside Section 75. It is a card-scheme process, not the same statutory right. | Your card issuer. Ask it to raise a chargeback for goods not received or a refund not processed, and confirm the scheme deadline and evidence list. |
| PayPal dispute | A payment made through PayPal that falls within its buyer-dispute rules. | PayPal’s dispute process. Citizens Advice guidance says to open the dispute within 180 days of payment; check the current account process and terms. |
| Other wallet, marketplace or BNPL arrangement | The platform’s own buyer protection, credit agreement or complaints process may apply. The intermediary can also alter the legal supplier relationship relevant to Section 75. | Start with the platform or lender and ask which protection applies. Also ask the underlying card issuer about chargeback where a card funded the transaction. |
| Claim in the administration | You are owed money directly by the insolvent company and no faster payment route resolves the loss. | The administrator. Follow its proof-of-debt instructions and retain evidence. Recovery and timing are uncertain, particularly for an unsecured consumer claim. |
Section 75: when a credit-card claim can work
Section 75 can make the credit provider jointly responsible with the supplier for a qualifying breach of contract or misrepresentation. Non-delivery after payment, or failure to provide an agreed refund, can be the relevant breach. The guidance cited by Citizens Advice, MoneyHelper and UK Finance describes the key price range as more than £100 and no more than £30,000 for a single item.
The price test is for one item
The £100 lower threshold applies to the cash price of a single item, not necessarily the total basket. An individual item priced at £120 may meet the threshold even if the order contains other items. Conversely, several items that together cost £120 do not automatically turn each item into a qualifying purchase. Ask the issuer to assess the exact contract and invoice.
Part-payment can matter
If you paid a deposit or part of the price directly by credit card and paid the balance another way, a Section 75 claim may still cover the full price of the qualifying item. Keep the complete invoice and proof of every payment so the issuer can see the transaction structure.
Intermediaries can break the required relationship
Section 75 generally depends on a direct legal relationship between you, the credit provider and the supplier. A marketplace, PayPal transaction or another third party can mean that relationship is not established. Citizens Advice says Section 75 usually cannot be used where the purchase was made through a third party such as a marketplace or PayPal, although the precise facts matter and chargeback may remain available. Tell the issuer exactly who took the payment, who issued the invoice and who was contractually selling the goods; do not describe an intermediary as the retailer if the records show otherwise.
How to present the claim
- Write to the credit-card provider using its Section 75 claims or complaints channel.
- Identify the supplier’s legal name, the item, its single-item price, order date, payment date and card account.
- Explain the breach: the goods were not supplied, or the retailer agreed a refund and did not pay it.
- Attach the order, invoice, card statement, delivery evidence, correspondence and administration notice.
- State whether a marketplace, wallet or other intermediary was involved and provide its transaction reference.
- Ask the provider to confirm receipt, the investigation timetable and any further documents required.
Chargeback: the alternative card route
Chargeback is a card-scheme procedure that an issuer can use to seek reversal of a transaction. It may apply to debit cards and to credit-card payments that do not satisfy Section 75. It is not a statutory entitlement equivalent to Section 75, so the issuer and card-scheme rules determine whether the request is accepted.
Rank #2
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
Describe the factual reason accurately: “goods not received because the retailer entered administration” or “promised refund not processed.” Do not label a normal insolvency non-delivery as fraud. The issuer may ask when delivery was due, what contact you made with the retailer, whether the administrator has offered fulfilment, and what amount remains unpaid.
There is no single universal chargeback deadline for every card, scheme and transaction. Ask the issuer for the final date, the reason code it will use, and the evidence needed. A retailer’s administration notice, order confirmation, card statement and proof that no refund arrived are commonly relevant records, but the issuer decides its requirements.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →PayPal, wallets, marketplaces and buy-now-pay-later
PayPal
PayPal’s dispute route is governed by its own buyer-protection terms and account process. Citizens Advice guidance states that a dispute should be opened within 180 days of payment. That period is a process figure, not a promise that every claim will succeed. Open the case promptly, upload the order and non-delivery evidence, and check whether PayPal asks you to escalate a dispute to a claim within a further period.
Marketplaces and digital wallets
A marketplace may have its own buyer-protection deadline and may be the payment counterparty shown on your statement. Open the platform case while also asking your card issuer whether chargeback is available. Keep the seller’s name, marketplace order number, platform messages and the retailer’s administration notice together. Do not assume a platform dispute preserves a separate card deadline.
Buy-now-pay-later and other credit
BNPL products differ. Some are credit agreements; others are payment services or wallet arrangements. The lender or platform can explain its complaints and refund process, while the card used to fund the transaction may have a separate chargeback route. Ask who is legally responsible for the sale, who received your money, and which deadline applies. Obtain the answer in writing.
Making a claim to the administrator
The administrator’s notice should identify the insolvency practitioner and explain how customers should submit claims. Follow those instructions exactly. You may need to provide your name, address, order number, invoice, amount paid, amount refunded (if any), and a short description of the outstanding debt.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
An administrator may later announce that orders will be fulfilled, transferred to a purchaser, or cancelled. Keep every update. If goods are offered instead of money, check whether they match the original contract and whether accepting them affects a card or platform claim; ask the provider before withdrawing an existing claim.
Consumers are usually unsecured creditors unless a particular payment structure gives another protection. The amount and timing of any distribution are not guaranteed. A card recovery, if available, is separate: receiving money from one route can reduce the amount recoverable through another, so report any payment to each provider.
Build an evidence pack before contacting the issuer
- Contract details: legal retailer name, website address, order number, item description, quantity and single-item price.
- Dates: order date, payment date, promised dispatch or delivery date, cancellation date, refund promise date and administration date.
- Payment proof: card statement, PayPal or wallet transaction ID, BNPL agreement, invoice and any deposit or balance payments.
- Failure proof: tracking showing no delivery, retailer emails, unanswered contact attempts, confirmation that a refund was agreed but not received, and the administration notice.
- Intermediary information: marketplace name, platform order ID, payment processor and the legal seller shown in the terms.
- Amount calculation: total paid, refunds already received, delivery charges and the exact balance claimed. Do not claim money that has already been returned.
Keep originals and send copies. If a page is still online, save a dated PDF or screenshot showing the URL and relevant wording. Record the date, time, channel and reference number for every call or message with the retailer, administrator, card issuer and payment platform.
Deadlines and escalation
Payment-provider deadlines can run independently of the insolvency timetable. The sources do not establish one chargeback period that applies to every card scheme. Your issuer must confirm its own deadline and documents, so ask as soon as you know the order will not be fulfilled.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallRank #4
If an issuer rejects or mishandles a claim, request the decision and reason in writing and use its formal complaints procedure. Include the original evidence and explain why the response does not address the non-delivery or unpaid refund. If the complaint is not resolved, ask the issuer which independent dispute-resolution or ombudsman route is available for that financial product and follow the applicable eligibility rules.
Keep the administrator informed of any card or PayPal recovery. If the provider pays you, notify the administrator so the same loss is not claimed twice. If the provider declines, retain the written decision as evidence for the insolvency claim.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Special situations
An order contains several items
Separate the invoice into individual items and prices. Section 75’s cited threshold concerns a single item, while chargeback and platform rules may assess the transaction differently. A partial delivery does not erase the claim for items that never arrived; provide tracking and a line-by-line amount.
You received a partial refund
Claim only the unpaid balance and attach the refund confirmation. State whether the retailer promised a specific date or amount. A provider may ask for the original price, refund date and remaining balance before deciding the claim.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Gift cards and vouchers
UK Finance guidance says a consumer may be able to recover the cost of an unusable gift card through Section 75 when its value is more than £100. This is not automatic: the purchase structure, supplier relationship and card payment must still satisfy the eligibility rules. Keep the gift-card terms, activation record, receipt and evidence that the retailer can no longer honour it.
Best Value
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
The retailer says it will deliver later
Ask for a specific delivery commitment and keep it in writing. If the administrator later confirms that delivery will not happen, send that confirmation to the issuer. Do not let informal promises make you miss a card, PayPal or marketplace deadline.
Do not confuse insolvency with an unauthorised payment
A retailer’s failure to deliver after you authorised the transaction is normally a non-delivery or contract-breach dispute. It is different from a fraudulent payment that you did not authorise. The Financial Conduct Authority’s guidance on fraudulent payments concerns unauthorised transactions and reimbursement rules; use the fraud-reporting route only if you genuinely did not make or approve the payment. For an authorised order that was not supplied, use Section 75, chargeback, the platform process or the administration claim described above.
What outcome should you expect?
Section 75 can provide the strongest statutory route when every eligibility element is present, but the issuer still investigates the facts. Chargeback is potentially useful beyond Section 75 but depends on scheme rules and evidence. PayPal and marketplace disputes depend on their current terms and deadlines. An administration claim may recover something later, but no universal timetable or full repayment is established.
Your practical priority is therefore sequence, not waiting: preserve proof, identify the payment route, start the fastest applicable process, confirm its deadline, and separately register the debt with the administrator. This gives each decision-maker the information needed to assess the same loss without assuming that administration itself creates a refund.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
