Not upheld: chargeback claim declined - time limit exceeded complaint against National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company (NatWest)

Decision detail

Summary

Mr P purchased a mobile phone on 27 January 2025 for £1,146.65 using his NatWest debit card. On 27 November 2025, a repair engineer determined the phone was counterfeit and ineligible for warranty repair. Mr P then raised a chargeback claim with NatWest, which was declined on the grounds that it was submitted over 300 days after the transaction, exceeding the 120-day timeframe required by card scheme rules. The ombudsman upheld NatWest's decision, confirming that chargeback is governed by card scheme rules with specific time limits and that NatWest applied these rules fairly and reasonably.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman determined that NatWest acted fairly and reasonably in declining the chargeback claim because it was submitted outside the mandatory 120-day timeframe established by card scheme rules. The ombudsman noted that chargeback is not a statutory right but a process governed by card scheme rules with specific time limits and conditions. The ombudsman clarified that the Consumer Rights Act 2015 does not apply to the chargeback process and that Mr P would need to pursue his rights directly with the mobile phone manufacturer.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website