How to write a Section 75 letter that works

The Section 75 claim is a matter of statute. The letter is a matter of detail. Most consumer claims fail not because the law is against them but because the letter doesn't trigger the right process inside the card issuer. Here is the structure that does, with a copy-ready template at the end.

Why the letter matters

Card issuers have separate teams for chargebacks, complaints, and statutory claims. Letters that don't name Section 75 explicitly tend to land on the chargeback desk, which has a different test, a tighter time limit, and a higher rejection rate. Naming the right statute, in the right phrasing, routes the claim correctly. This is not a formality. It is the single biggest variable in the issuer's response.

What should I include in a Section 75 letter?

Six sections, in this order:

Subject line and reference: name the statute, reference your card.
Statement of claim: one sentence invoking Section 75.
Transaction facts: merchant, date, amount, card used.
The breach: what was promised before payment vs what was delivered.
Evidence list: what you have, briefly listed.
Remedy and deadline: what you want and by when.

That's it. Three paragraphs and a list. Anything longer dilutes it.

Section by section

1. Subject line

Use this exact subject line on the email or letter:

"Section 75 claim under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, [card last four digits]"

Card issuers route email by subject keywords. "Section 75" in the subject increases the chance it lands on the right desk.

2. Statement of claim

Open with one sentence:

"I am making a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for misrepresentation and/or breach of contract by [merchant name], in respect of a transaction on my credit card ending [last four digits]."

Pick whichever applies. If both apply, name both. If you're not sure, name both: the issuer must investigate either way.

3. Transaction facts

A short paragraph:

"On [date], I paid [merchant] the sum of £[amount] using my [card type] credit card ending [last four digits]. The payment is identifiable on my statement under the reference [merchant descriptor]."

If the payment was split (some on credit card, some on debit), say so explicitly. As long as one penny was on the credit card, the qualifying purchase rule is met.

4. The breach

This is the paragraph the issuer's investigator will read most carefully. Two sentences, no more:

"At the point of sale, [merchant] represented that [specific promise: e.g. 'the course included weekly mentorship sessions and lifetime access to recorded materials']. After payment, I received [what actually happened: e.g. 'no mentorship sessions, and access to recorded materials only after I raised a complaint']. The discrepancy between what was represented and what was provided constitutes [misrepresentation / a breach of contract / both]."

Specificity wins this paragraph. "It wasn't what they said" loses. "They said X on the sales page on [date], and I received Y" wins.

5. Evidence list

A bullet list of what you can attach or supply on request:

Screenshot of sales page or marketing material
Email or message confirmation of purchase
Bank/credit-card statement showing the payment
Communications with the merchant before and after delivery
Course platform / login records showing what was and wasn't accessible
Any income claims, scheduling promises, or terms you were sent

Don't attach all of it on the first email. Issuers are more likely to dismiss a wall of attachments than a focused claim. Offer it; let them ask.

6. Remedy and deadline

Close with what you want and the timing:

"I require a full refund of £[amount] paid under the disputed transaction, together with confirmation in writing of the outcome. Under the FCA's complaint handling rules (DISP 1.6.2R), you have eight weeks from the date of this letter to provide a final response. If I do not receive a final response by [date eight weeks out], or if your final response rejects the claim, I will refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service."

The reference to DISP 1.6.2R is precise. It signals that you understand the regulatory framework the issuer operates under, which raises the standard of response you'll get.

What not to include

No emotion. The letter is a statutory claim, not a complaint about how you feel. Save the human story for an Ombudsman complaint if needed.
No threats. Saying "I will sue" or "I will report this to the press" lowers the standard of the letter and gives the issuer a pretext to slow-walk.
No legal arguments at length. The issuer's job is to investigate the facts. Don't write a brief.
No "without prejudice". That label has a specific legal meaning. It does not protect a Section 75 claim letter; it just confuses the recipient.

Template (copy and adapt)

Subject: Section 75 claim under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, card ending [XXXX]

Dear [Issuer] complaints team,

I am making a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974
for misrepresentation and/or breach of contract by [merchant name], in
respect of a transaction on my credit card ending [XXXX].

On [date], I paid [merchant] the sum of £[amount] using my [card type]
credit card ending [XXXX]. The payment is identifiable on my statement
under the reference [merchant descriptor].

At the point of sale, [merchant] represented that [specific promise].
After payment, I received [what actually happened]. The discrepancy
between what was represented and what was provided constitutes
[misrepresentation / a breach of contract / both].

I have the following evidence available on request:
 - [evidence item 1]
 - [evidence item 2]
 - [evidence item 3]

I require a full refund of £[amount] paid under the disputed
transaction, together with confirmation in writing of the outcome.
Under the FCA's complaint handling rules (DISP 1.6.2R), you have eight
weeks from the date of this letter to provide a final response. If I
do not receive a final response by [date eight weeks out], or if your
final response rejects the claim, I will refer the matter to the
Financial Ombudsman Service.

Yours faithfully,
[Your name]
[Account holder name if different]
[Date]

What usually happens next

A confirmation of receipt within a working week. A holding response at four weeks if the issuer is slow. A final response between weeks six and eight. Roughly a third of well-drafted Section 75 letters resolve at this stage; another portion go to the FOS. If the letter is sloppy, the rejection rate climbs sharply. The template above is what well-drafted looks like.

The bottom line

The Section 75 claim is the law. The letter is the trigger. Get the subject line right, name the statute in the first sentence, and structure the breach as before-vs-after. Most consumers send a long, emotional, undirected letter. That gets them rejected. The letter above gets them taken seriously.

Docketory publishes general information based on real disputes. Identifying details are changed and patterns from multiple cases may be combined. This is not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, contact a solicitor or Citizens Advice.

Related on Docketory:

How to write a Section 75 letter that actually works