UK chargeback notification: response runbook
You have 7 to 14 days to respond to a UK chargeback. Read the reason code, gather evidence specific to that code, write a 3-paragraph rebuttal and submit through the acquirer dashboard before the deadline. Acquirers do not refund the £15-£35 chargeback fee even when you win, so the calculus often favours pre-emptive refunds for clear-loss disputes.
First action: confirm the deadline
Each UK acquirer sets its own internal deadline shorter than the scheme rule. Calendar this immediately:
| Acquirer | Response deadline | Submission portal |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 7 calendar days | Dashboard > Disputes |
| SumUp | 14 calendar days | Dashboard > Chargebacks |
| Square | 14 calendar days | Dashboard > Disputes |
| Dojo | 10 calendar days | Dojo Hub > Disputes |
| Adyen | 10 calendar days | Customer Area > Disputes |
| Worldpay | 10-15 days, varies by contract | Dispute Manager portal |
| PayPal Zettle | 10 calendar days | Resolution Center |
Deadlines verified against acquirer help pages. Last checked May 2026.
Step 2: identify the reason code
The reason code is on the chargeback notification, usually in a separate "Reason" or "Code" field. Mastercard codes start with 48xx, Visa with 10.x or 13.x. The code dictates the evidence pack you build.
| Scheme | Code | Name | Required evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard | 4837 | No Cardholder Authorization | Card-present: signed receipt or chip-and-PIN log. Card-not-present: 3DS authorisation, IP, billing-address match. |
| Mastercard | 4853 | Cardholder Dispute (goods not as described / not received) | Proof of delivery to cardholder address, written specifications, photos, customer correspondence showing the dispute was raised post-delivery. |
| Mastercard | 4855 | Goods or Services Not Provided | Proof of service delivery: signed completion docket, photo, service log, customer satisfaction confirmation. |
| Mastercard | 4863 | Cardholder Does Not Recognise | Receipt, transaction details, customer correspondence linking the cardholder to the purchase. Often resolves quickly. |
| Mastercard | 4870 | Chip Liability Shift | Difficult to defend if chip-and-PIN was bypassed. If the terminal force-fell back to magstripe, document why. |
| Visa | 10.4 | Other Fraud, Card Absent Environment | Same as Mastercard 4837 CNP: 3DS, IP, billing-address match, plus delivery confirmation. |
| Visa | 13.1 | Merchandise / Services Not Received | Tracked-delivery confirmation; service-completion records. |
| Visa | 13.2 | Cancelled Recurring Transaction | Subscription terms, cancellation policy, the date and method of any cancellation request, and refund offered. |
| Visa | 13.3 | Not as Described or Defective Merchandise | Photos of merchandise as shipped, spec documentation, return policy, customer correspondence. |
Step 3: build the evidence pack
Standard UK evidence pack contents, by reason category:
For card-present disputes
- Transaction receipt with chip-and-PIN or contactless authorisation flag
- EMV transaction log if available (terminal manufacturer can supply)
- CCTV footage of the customer at point of sale (where available, lawful and proportionate)
- Customer correspondence, email or messaging history
- Any prior refund offer or attempt
For card-not-present disputes
- 3DS authentication log (acquirer can pull)
- Customer IP address at time of transaction
- Customer device fingerprint (browser, OS, screen size)
- Billing-address verification (AVS) result
- Email confirmation of the order
- Tracked-delivery confirmation to the billing address
- Goods specification, photos, return policy
For subscription disputes (recurring)
- Original signup confirmation showing recurring billing terms
- Acceptance log (terms-of-service tickbox, IP, timestamp)
- All renewal-notice emails sent
- Cancellation policy and instructions provided to customer
- Any cancellation request received and how it was handled
Step 4: write the 3-paragraph rebuttal
Acquirer dispute portals typically allow a 1,000 to 4,000 character text response plus document upload. Three paragraphs is the right shape:
- Paragraph 1: timeline. Date of transaction, amount, payment method, what was sold or delivered. Reference the receipt and order ID.
- Paragraph 2: customer interaction. Any subsequent contact with the customer, refund offered or processed, complaint resolution. If no contact, state that the customer did not contact you before raising the chargeback.
- Paragraph 3: rebuttal. Directly address the reason code with the relevant evidence. "The customer claims the merchandise was not received. Tracked delivery (Royal Mail tracking ABC123) confirms delivery to the cardholder's billing address on [date], signed for by [signature]."
Step 5: submit and track
After submission, the acquirer forwards your response to the issuer within 5-10 working days. The issuer reviews and either reverses the chargeback (you win) or upholds it (you lose). Total cycle time: 30 to 90 days from submission.
If you win: funds return to your account. The chargeback fee (£15-£35) does not return.
If you lose: you can submit a second presentment with new evidence. If still rejected, the case goes to scheme arbitration at $400-$500 per case. Most UK SMBs do not appeal to arbitration on disputes below £400.
Win rate by reason code (UK ballpark, 2026)
Internal UK acquirer data and merchant-services benchmarks suggest:
- "Cardholder does not recognise" (4863, 10.4): ~70% win rate with basic evidence (receipt, transaction details).
- "Goods not received" (4855, 13.1): ~55% with delivery proof; ~10% without.
- "Not as described" (4853, 13.3): ~30% win rate; subjective category that often goes the customer's way.
- "Cardholder authorisation" (4837): ~40% with 3DS plus AVS; ~10% without.
- "Cancelled recurring" (13.2): ~30% in subscriber's favour; clear cancellation policy and notice protect you.
If your evidence is weak and the dispute is below ~£100, refunding pre-emptively often nets out cheaper than fighting and losing.
Pre-empt the next chargeback
- Add 3DS to all card-not-present transactions. Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) under PSD2 already mandates this for most CNP UK transactions; some merchants exempt low-value or recurring. The exemption costs you the liability shift.
- Send delivery confirmation by email. Plus a tracking link.
- Make refund process visible. If customers know they can refund easily, they raise fewer chargebacks. The cost of an easy refund is the original MSC; the cost of a chargeback is MSC plus £15-£35 fee plus damaged ratio.
- Use a clear billing descriptor. "Cardholder does not recognise" disputes are often the customer not recognising the descriptor on their statement. A descriptor like "TKCRD-FORTUNE-ITALIANRESTAURANT" beats "PAYMENT 4592".
- Track your chargeback ratio monthly. Mastercard cap is 1.0% (chargebacks/transactions); Visa is 1.5%. Above 1%, expect acquirer attention.
Cross-link: when chargebacks become a pattern
Repeated chargebacks above scheme thresholds trigger MATCH-list listings under reason code 04 (Excessive Chargebacks) once an acquirer terminates. See our MATCH list and TMF UK guide for the listing-and-removal flow. If you suspect you are at risk of an acquirer terminating, see our account-terminated runbook.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to respond to a UK chargeback notification?
Usually 7 to 14 calendar days from notification, depending on acquirer and scheme. Stripe gives 7 days, SumUp and Square 14, Dojo and Adyen 10. Mastercard and Visa scheme rules technically allow longer at the issuer end, but acquirers cut their internal deadline shorter to leave themselves processing time. Miss the deadline and you forfeit the right to defend the dispute.
What is the difference between a chargeback and a refund request?
A refund is a customer request directly to you for their money back; you process it through your terminal and your acquirer. A chargeback is the customer asking their card issuer to reverse the transaction; the issuer pulls the money back from your acquirer, your acquirer pulls it from you, and you have to defend the dispute or accept the loss. Chargebacks always carry a £15-£35 acquirer fee even if you win.
Should I refund proactively to avoid a chargeback?
Often yes. A direct refund costs you the goods or service plus the original MSC. A chargeback costs you the same plus the £15-£35 acquirer fee, plus damaged chargeback ratios that can trigger acquirer concern at scale. If the customer is clearly going to win the dispute, refund and close the loop.
Will my chargeback ratio trigger acquirer concern?
Mastercard and Visa monitor chargeback ratios at 1% and 1.5% respectively (chargebacks divided by transactions, by month). Above those thresholds, Mastercard's Excessive Chargeback Programme and Visa's Dispute Monitoring Programme can fine the acquirer, who then passes scrutiny on to you. Above 2%, expect rolling reserves, fee increases or termination.
What evidence wins a chargeback dispute?
It depends on the reason code. For "card not present" disputes, you need 3DS authorisation logs, IP address, delivery confirmation and signed proof. For "goods not received" you need shipping evidence with proof of delivery to the cardholder address. For "not as described" you need photos, written specs and prior customer correspondence. For "duplicate transaction" you need the original receipts showing they are not duplicates.
Can the customer chargeback months after the transaction?
In the UK, yes for the most common dispute types. Mastercard and Visa both allow 120 days from the transaction date (or 120 days from when the customer became aware of the issue, in some categories). For undelivered goods, the clock starts at the expected delivery date. Subscription services have specific cancellation-pattern rules.
If I lose the chargeback, can I appeal?
Yes via the second presentment process (called "pre-arbitration" by Visa, "second chargeback" by Mastercard). You re-submit the dispute with new evidence. If still rejected, the case goes to arbitration at the scheme level, which carries a fee of $400-$500 per case. Most UK SMBs do not appeal to arbitration because the fee exceeds the typical dispute amount.
Can I challenge a chargeback through the Financial Ombudsman?
Not the chargeback itself; that is a private scheme matter between issuer, acquirer and merchant. You can challenge your acquirer's handling of the chargeback (e.g. failed to notify in time, refused to submit your evidence) via the Financial Ombudsman Service. The FOS handles roughly 90,000 financial disputes a year; merchant-acquirer cases are a small fraction but accepted.
Need an acquirer with stronger dispute support?
If your current acquirer's chargeback portal is cumbersome or response windows are too short, our matcher surfaces UK acquirers with documented dispute SLAs. No obligation, no upfront fees.
Open quote form →Director, AcceptCard
Oliver leads AcceptCard's editorial and comparison research. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees provider analysis, rate verification, and industry reporting across all verticals.
Last reviewed: 10 May 2026