Step 1: complain to the business in writing
Use email, the company’s complaint form or a letter, so you have a record. Include:
- your name, order number and the date you bought;
- what went wrong, in a few factual sentences;
- the right you’re relying on (for example “faulty goods under the Consumer Rights Act 2015” or “the 14-day cancellation right”);
- what you want: a repair, replacement, refund or compensation;
- a reasonable deadline, such as 14 days;
- copies (not originals) of receipts, photos and earlier messages.
Template. “On [date] I bought [item] (order [number]). [Describe the problem.] Under [law or right] I am entitled to [remedy]. Please [refund / repair / replace] by [date]. If this isn’t resolved, I will [contact my card provider / refer this to ADR / start a small claim].”
Step 2: use your payment protection
If you paid by card, your card provider may be able to help through a chargeback, Section 75 (UK credit cards) or a billing error dispute (US credit cards). These have deadlines, so don’t wait too long for the seller. See card disputes explained.
Step 3: escalate outside the business
| Where | Options |
|---|---|
| UK | An ADR scheme or ombudsman, if the trader belongs to one (for example the Financial Ombudsman Service for financial firms, or the energy and communications ombudsmen). The Citizens Advice consumer service (Advice Direct Scotland, Consumerline in Northern Ireland) can advise and pass reports to Trading Standards. |
| EU | A national ADR body (the European Commission lists approved bodies). For a purchase from a business in another EU country, Iceland or Norway, ECC-Net helps for free. The EU’s online dispute resolution (ODR) platform closed on 20 July 2025, so traders no longer link to it. |
| US | Your state attorney general’s consumer protection office, the Better Business Bureau, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for banks, cards and other financial products. Reporting to the FTC helps enforcement, though the FTC doesn’t resolve individual complaints. |
Step 4: small claims court
- England and Wales: claims up to £10,000 normally go to the small claims track; you can start online with Money Claim Online. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own procedures.
- EU: the European Small Claims Procedure handles cross-border claims up to €5,000, mostly in writing. National courts have their own small claims processes.
- US: every state has small claims courts; the maximum claim and procedures vary by state.
Court fees apply and are often recoverable if you win. Many disputes settle once the business receives a formal “letter before action”.
Time limits
Don’t leave it too long. In England and Wales, you generally have six years to bring a claim for breach of contract (five years in Scotland). EU countries and US states each set their own limits, and card schemes and dispute rules have much shorter deadlines.
For businesses: customer service obligations
In the UK and EU, online traders must give customers a way to contact them quickly and effectively, including an email address. Post-contract customer helplines can’t charge more than a basic rate. Traders must handle complaints about faulty goods according to consumer law, whatever their own policy says. Good complaint handling also reduces chargebacks and regulator attention.
General information, not legal advice. Rules vary by country, state and situation, and they change. Check the official sources below, and speak to a qualified lawyer or a free advice service if a lot is at stake.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
