Can I use Section 75 to get a refund from a rogue locksmith?

Yes. If you paid by credit card and the amount was over £100, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card company jointly liable for any misrepresentation. A locksmith who quoted £39, £49, £79 or £80 on the phone and charged £600 on arrival has misrepresented the price. Your card issuer must refund you. Call your bank and say you wish to make a Section 75 claim for misrepresentation of price.

What is the minimum amount for a Section 75 claim?

The transaction must be over £100. The full amount of the transaction must exceed £100 — not just the disputed portion. So if a locksmith charged you £350, the full £350 exceeds the £100 threshold and the entire amount is claimable under Section 75.

What do I say to my bank when making a Section 75 claim for a locksmith overcharge?

Say: I wish to make a Section 75 claim under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The trader misrepresented the price of their service. I was quoted £X on the phone and charged £X on arrival. The price charged bears no relation to the genuine market value of the service and significantly exceeds the price agreed before the operative arrived. Do not use the word fraud — use misrepresentation of price. This is the correct legal framing for Section 75.

What if my credit card company refuses a Section 75 claim for a locksmith overcharge?

Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service at financial-ombudsman.org.uk. Section 75 is a statutory right — it is not discretionary. If the transaction was over £100 and there was a misrepresentation of price, your card issuer is legally obligated to refund you. The Financial Ombudsman upholds the majority of Section 75 complaints where the consumer has documented evidence of the price quoted versus the price charged.

Does Section 75 apply if I paid on a debit card?

No. Section 75 applies only to credit cards. For debit cards, use the chargeback scheme. Call your bank and say you wish to raise a chargeback — the price charged was significantly different from the price agreed. Chargeback is not a statutory right but most banks operate it voluntarily and it is effective when you have evidence of the price quoted versus the price charged.

How much can I claim under Section 75 for a locksmith overcharge?

The full amount charged. If a locksmith quoted £39, £49, £79 or £80 and charged £600, you can claim the full £600 back — not just the difference between the quoted and charged amount. The misrepresentation invalidates the entire transaction. Some consumers choose to offer a fair price for the work actually done — around £80 to £150 for a standard lockout — and claim the rest. Either approach is valid.

What evidence do I need for a Section 75 claim against a rogue locksmith?

The invoice showing the amount charged. Evidence of the price quoted on the phone if available — a text message, WhatsApp, or email confirmation. If the quote was verbal only, a written statement of what you were told. The price comparison between what was quoted and what genuine locksmiths charge for the same job — which you can document using locksmithscams.co.uk pricing information. The name of the company on the invoice — which may differ from the listing name, which is itself evidence of misrepresentation.

Section 75 Claim Against a Rogue Locksmith — How to Get Your Money Back

What Section 75 is and why it applies to locksmith overcharging

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card company jointly liable with the trader for any breach of contract or misrepresentation. It is not a bank policy or a discretionary goodwill gesture. It is a statutory right — enshrined in law for over fifty years.

When a locksmith quotes £49 on the phone and charges £600 on arrival — that is a misrepresentation. The price stated before you agreed to the service bore no relationship to the price actually charged. The service you were sold — a £49 locksmith callout — is not the service you received — a £600 invoice. That mismatch between what was represented and what was delivered is exactly what Section 75 was designed to address.

A locksmith who charges five or six times the fair market rate for a standard job has not just overcharged. They have misrepresented both the price and, in many cases, the necessity of the work. Drilling a lock that could have been picked — then charging for an expensive replacement — is a further misrepresentation of what the job required.

The key phrase to use with your bank

Say: “I wish to make a Section 75 claim under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The trader misrepresented the price of their service. I was quoted £X on the phone and charged £X on arrival. The price charged significantly exceeds the agreed price and the genuine market value of the service.” Do not use the word fraud. Use misrepresentation of price. This is the correct legal framing.

The two conditions — both must be met

Section 75 applies when two conditions are both satisfied.

Condition 1 — Credit card payment

The payment must be by credit card — not debit card, not cash, not bank transfer. If you paid by debit card — use chargeback instead. See below.

Condition 2 — Transaction over £100

The full transaction must exceed £100. Not just the disputed portion — the total charge. A locksmith who charged £350 easily meets this threshold. A £90 charge does not.

If both conditions are met — Section 75 applies. Your credit card company is jointly and severally liable with the trader. You can claim against the card issuer directly without needing to pursue the rogue locksmith through the courts.

How much can you claim — the full amount, not just the excess

This is the point most people get wrong. Section 75 allows you to claim the full amount charged — not just the difference between the quoted price and the price charged.

If a locksmith quoted £49 and charged £600 — you can claim the full £600 back. The misrepresentation of the price invalidates the entire transaction. You are not obliged to accept the job was done and pay a reduced amount. You can claim everything.

Some consumers choose to offer a fair price for the work actually done — typically £80 to £150 for a standard lockout including a quality cylinder — and claim the rest. That is a reasonable approach if you want to acknowledge the work was performed. But legally you are entitled to the full amount back.

⚠ Most people do not know this — partial credit card payment still covers the full amount

If the total invoice was £580 and you only put £200 on your credit card — paying the rest in cash — you can still claim the full £580 under Section 75.

This is because Section 75 looks at the total transaction value — not just the portion paid by credit card. As long as the full transaction exceeds £100 and any part of it was paid by credit card — your card company is jointly liable for the entire misrepresentation.

Example: Locksmith charges £580. You pay £100 by credit card and £480 in cash because you did not have enough on the card. The full £580 transaction is covered by Section 75. Call your bank and claim the full amount — not just the £100 you put on the card.

Example claim — what the numbers look like

Quoted on the phone

£49

Charged on arrival

£580

Fair market price for same job

£80–£150

Amount claimable under Section 75

Full £580

Step by step — what to do right now

Call your bank's Section 75 team immediately

Do not wait. Banks process Section 75 claims more easily when contacted promptly. Call the number on the back of your credit card and ask specifically for the disputed transactions or Section 75 team.

Use the exact words — misrepresentation of price

Say: “I wish to make a Section 75 claim under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The trader misrepresented the price. I was quoted £X and charged £X. The price charged bears no relation to the agreed price or the genuine market value.” Do not say fraud. Misrepresentation is the correct legal ground.

Give them the evidence you have

The invoice. The company name on the invoice — which may differ from the listing you called. Any text or WhatsApp confirmation of the quoted price. The date and time. The address where the work was done.

Document the genuine market price

Tell your bank the fair market price for the same job. A standard lockout in 2026 costs £80 to £150 all in with a genuine locksmith. A cylinder replacement costs £80 to £160. A charge of £580 for a job worth £100 is a 480% overcharge. State that figure explicitly.

Get a reference number and follow up in writing

Ask for a reference number for the claim. Follow up with a written summary by email or secure message through your bank's app. A written record protects you if the bank initially declines.

If your bank refuses — escalate to the Financial Ombudsman

Some banks initially decline Section 75 claims — either because the agent does not understand the law or because they hope the consumer will give up. Do not accept a refusal.

Section 75 is a statutory right. It is not discretionary. If the transaction was over £100, paid by credit card, and there was a misrepresentation of price — your bank is legally obligated to refund you. A refusal is potentially unlawful.

Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service

If your bank refuses or does not respond within eight weeks — complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service at financial-ombudsman.org.uk. The service is free. The Ombudsman upholds the majority of Section 75 complaints where the consumer has documented evidence. A locksmith invoice showing £580 charged against a quoted price of £49 is exactly the kind of clear misrepresentation the Ombudsman acts on.

Paid by debit card — use chargeback instead

Section 75 does not apply to debit cards. But debit card chargeback is available through Visa, Mastercard, and other schemes. Call your bank and say “I wish to raise a chargeback — the price charged was significantly different from the price agreed before the service was provided.”

Chargeback is not a statutory right — it is a voluntary scheme. Banks vary in how readily they apply it. Be persistent. Provide the same evidence — invoice, quoted price, fair market price comparison. If your bank declines — ask them to reconsider in writing and escalate to the Financial Ombudsman if needed.

Paid cash — your options are more limited but not zero

Cash payments cannot be reversed through Section 75 or chargeback. But you still have routes.

Small claims court

For amounts up to £10,000. File at gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money. Court fee is low. No solicitor needed. A County Court Judgment against the company goes on public record and affects their credit rating. If the company is a shell company with no assets — recovery may be difficult, but the CCJ is still valuable as a public record.

Trading Standards — 0808 223 1133

Even if you cannot recover cash directly — your report contributes to the enforcement intelligence that may result in prosecution. Trading Standards can pursue companies under the CPRs 2008 regardless of payment method.

HMRC — 0800 788 887

If VAT was charged — check the VAT number at gov.uk/check-uk-vat-number. If invalid — HMRC can freeze accounts and pursue directors personally regardless of whether victims paid by cash or card.

Frequently asked questions

The invoice company name is different from the listing I called — does that affect my claim?

It strengthens it. An invoice from a company different from the listing you booked is itself evidence of misrepresentation — you did not agree to contract with that company. Tell your bank explicitly: the company on the invoice is not the company I called. This invoice name mismatch tactic is documented across hundreds of rogue locksmith complaints.

I paid under duress — I was frightened and just wanted them to leave. Does that affect my claim?

No — and it may strengthen it. Payment made under duress — where you felt unable to refuse because of the locksmith's behaviour at your door — is a further ground for a Section 75 claim. If possible, send your bank a written note stating you paid under duress at the time. Even if you did not do this at the time — include it in your Section 75 explanation now.

How long do I have to make a Section 75 claim?

There is no statutory time limit specified in the Consumer Credit Act for Section 75 — but act as soon as possible. Banks are more receptive to prompt claims. The standard limitation period for civil claims in England is six years — so you are not excluded by delay, but the sooner the better.

Can I claim Section 75 if I only paid part of the bill by credit card?

Yes. The full transaction value is what matters — not just the portion paid by credit card. If the total invoice was £580 and you put £200 on a credit card and paid the rest in cash — the full £580 transaction exceeds £100 and your card company is jointly liable for the entire amount. This surprises most people — and most bank agents. If your bank tries to limit your claim to the card portion only — insist on the full amount and escalate to the Financial Ombudsman if needed.

Call your bank today

Section 75 is your statutory right. Your bank is legally obligated to refund you if the conditions are met. Do not wait. The sooner you call — the better your outcome.

Full reporting guide → Overcharged — all options → Check the database →

locksmithscams.co.uk — independent public interest resource — not affiliated with any organisation. This page provides general consumer information about Section 75 rights. It is not legal advice. For advice specific to your situation contact Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133.

Section 75 — how to get your money back from a rogue locksmith if you paid by credit card