(^2018) I SAGA.CO.UK/AUG-MAG 89
e make around
14.5 billion payments
a year in the UK alone
by debit or credit card. And
the boom in plastic payment is
predicted to continue with
21.9 billion payments forecast
for 2026. Cash payments, on
the other hand, are anticipated
to fall by some 43% by 2026.
So, while cash may have
been king, plastic has its hands
firmly on the crown. It’s not just
the convenience of a card, but
the rights you trigger by using
one are an important safeguard.
Credit card
When you pay by credit card
for something that costs more
than £100 and up to £30,000,
the credit card provider has
a legal liability if the goods or
service are faulty, go wrong, are
wrongly described, or are not
delivered. It is called ‘section 75’
(or s.75) protection after the
law that introduced it back in
- The first place to complain
is where you bought the item or
service. But if they are unwilling
to refund your money or have
gone bust, then the credit card
provider has liability.
For example, if you buy
a package holiday and the
business collapses or you pay
for something that never arrives,
you can claim on your credit
card provider. Similarly, if you
buy an electronic device and it
goes wrong after a month, or
clothes turn out to be faulty,
the credit card provider must
refund you if the shop or
supplier will not. The right also
applies if you pay only part of
the cost on your credit card, as
long as the total cost is more
than £100 or up to £30,000.
So, if you pay a small deposit
We are paying for things with credit and debit
cards more than ever. Apart from being
easier than cash or cheque, plastic brings with it
important consumer rightsFantastic
plastic
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Money
Financial expert
Paul Lewis
ILLUSTRATIONS: TELEGRAMME, ANNE HIGGLE