Not upheld: Card / payment disputes complaint against Revolut Ltd

Decision detail

Summary

Mr K booked a two-night accommodation stay for £292 using his Revolut debit card but had to leave on the same day due to his wife's health condition. The merchant declined his refund request, citing its five-day cancellation policy, and offered a £50 voucher instead. Revolut raised a chargeback under 'goods or services not provided,' but the merchant defended it by confirming the accommodation was provided as advertised and Mr K had checked in. Revolut accepted the defence and did not pursue further representations. The ombudsman found that Revolut acted fairly because the chargeback did not meet the grounds for success under card scheme rules, as the services were provided and Mr K's non-use was due to personal circumstances rather than a failure by the merchant.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman considered whether Revolut should have made further representations after the merchant's defence. Under chargeback rules, the 'goods or services not provided' code did not apply because the accommodation was available and Mr K did check in; he simply chose not to stay due to personal circumstances. The 'refund not processed' code also did not apply because the merchant's terms and conditions did not entitle Mr K to a refund (no cancellation five days before arrival). Revolut's role was to assess whether the chargeback would succeed under card scheme rules, not to make a fairness judgment based on consumer perspective. The ombudsman found no reasonable prospect of success under any applicable chargeback code.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website