Solve an ongoing consumer problem with a business seller

Summary

You should first contact your Buy Now Pay Later provider to explain the situation. If your Buy Now Pay Later provider doesn’t resolve the situation, you can ask for a ‘chargeback’ claim - but your debit or credit card provider might not agree to do it. You won’t be able to apply for a section 75 claim. You need to write to the finance company - not the seller. Check your paperwork if you're not sure what type of finance you have. Make sure you keep a copy of anything you send, in case you need to check it later. You should ask the seller for a final response (sometimes called a ‘letter of deadlock’), which will confirm that they haven’t been able to resolve your complaint. A final response is proof that you’ve already tried making a formal complaint - you’ll need it if you try other ways to sort out the problem. If the seller is a member of a trade association or quality scheme, they might have to follow certain rules. If they've broken the rules, you could get help to take your complaint further. Look on the seller’s website to find out if they’re a member of a trade association or quality scheme - or contact them if you can’t find anything. For example, if you’ve used a trader.

Key information

• •try to help you and the seller come to an agreement - this is sometimes called ‘mediation’ or ‘conciliation’
• •look at the evidence and make a decision about your complaint - this is usually done by an arbitrator, adjudicator or ombudsman
• •website - try searching for ‘dispute resolution’ or ‘complaints procedure’
• •‘terms and conditions’, either on their website or in any emails or paperwork they’ve sent you
• •you’ve already complained to your card provider or PayPal
• •your card provider or PayPal didn’t respond to your complaint within 8 weeks or you’re not happy with what they said
• •You should first contact your Buy Now Pay Later provider to explain the situation.
• •If your Buy Now Pay Later provider doesn’t resolve the situation, you can ask for a ‘chargeback’ claim - but your debit or credit card provider might not agree to do it.
• •You need to write to the finance company - not the seller. Check your paperwork if you're not sure what type of finance you have.
• •Make sure you keep a copy of anything you send, in case you need to check it later.
• •You should ask the seller for a final response (sometimes called a ‘letter of deadlock’), which will confirm that they haven’t been able to resolve your complaint.
• •A final response is proof that you’ve already tried making a formal complaint - you’ll need it if you try other ways to sort out the problem.

Practical guidance

• •Source: [Solve an ongoing consumer problem with a business seller](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/Solve-an-ongoing-consumer-problem/)

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