This guide covers charges by companies and service providers in England and Wales: retailers, subscriptions, utilities, telecoms and financial firms. It is about complaining and getting money back, not about council or court fines, which follow their own routes.
First, work out what kind of charge this is
The route depends on the type of charge, so name it before you act. Is it a fee you were never told about, a charge for something that was faulty or not delivered, a price that is different from what you agreed, or a charge you think breaches the contract? Being specific about what is wrong, and what you want back, turns a vague grievance into something a company has to answer.
If you can, challenge the charge before you pay it. If you have already paid, you can still complain and ask for it back, but say clearly that you are disputing it. Keep every statement, invoice, email and screenshot. The paper trail is what makes your complaint stand up later.
Step one: complain to the company first
Almost every escalation route expects you to have complained to the company first and given it a chance to put things right. Ask for a copy of its complaints procedure, then use it. Put your complaint in writing so there is a record. Set out what the charge is, why you think it is unfair, what evidence you have, and exactly what you want: a refund, a correction, or the charge removed. Give a reasonable deadline and keep a copy.
Step two: know the ombudsman or scheme for your sector
If the company will not resolve it, many sectors have an independent ombudsman or alternative dispute resolution scheme that is free for consumers. For financial products and services, that is usually the Financial Ombudsman Service. Citizens Advice explains that for financial complaints the business generally has up to eight weeks to send a final response. If you are unhappy with it, or you do not hear back in time, you can take the complaint to the ombudsman, normally within six months of the date on that final response.
Other sectors have their own schemes, for example for energy, communications and property. Check which scheme the company belongs to, because that determines where you can escalate.
Step three: if you paid by card, use your card rights
Paying by card can give you a separate way to get money back, and Citizens Advice sets out two routes:
- Chargeback: available whether you paid by debit or credit card, for however much you paid. It asks your bank to reverse the payment through the card scheme. There are time limits, so do not sit on it.
- Section 75: if you paid by credit card and the item or service cost more than £100 and no more than £30,000, the card provider can be jointly liable with the trader for a breach of contract or misrepresentation. If a Section 75 claim is refused, you can ask the Financial Ombudsman Service to look at it.
Build the evidence that backs your complaint
- The charge itself: the statement, invoice or receipt showing it
- What you were told the price or terms would be
- The contract, terms or sign-up confirmation
- Any emails, chat logs or notes of phone calls
- Dates: when you were charged, when you complained, when they replied
- How you paid, which decides whether card routes are open to you
Keep a simple timeline
When a complaint drags on, the single most useful thing you can have is a clear chronology: what happened, when, who said what, and what you are still owed. It stops the company resetting the conversation every time a new person picks it up, and it is exactly what an ombudsman wants to see.
A company deals with complaints all day, every day. It has scripts, hold music and standard offers designed to make a busy person give up for less than they are owed. You are doing this once, in the gaps between everything else. That imbalance of time, practice and information is the whole reason this site exists.
AI cannot decide your legal rights and should not pose as your adviser. But it is genuinely good at helping you make sense of terms and conditions, work out the right order of steps, and turn a frustrated account into a calm, specific complaint that names what you want. That gives an ordinary person better footing before they need to pay for help.
What AI could help you do
- Explain confusing terms, fees or contract clauses in plain English
- Work out the right escalation order for your type of charge
- Draft a clear, factual complaint that states what you want back
- Build a timeline from your emails, statements and notes
- Rewrite an angry message into something calm and effective
- Prepare the points and questions before you contact an ombudsman or adviser
Do not let an AI system have the final say on your rights, on time limits, or on which scheme applies. It can sound completely sure and still be wrong, and it can invent deadlines, thresholds or rules that do not exist. For anything that decides money or your legal position, check the current official guidance and get qualified advice.
A good rule: use AI to help you understand and organise your own case. Use authoritative sources and qualified people for the rules themselves.
A better way to prompt it
The goal is not to be the loudest. It is to be clear, specific and evidenced, and to escalate in the right order. You do not have to work that out on your own.
Where to get proper help
- Citizens Advice, for free guidance and template complaint letters
- The Citizens Advice consumer helpline, for advice on your specific problem
- The Financial Ombudsman Service, for financial products and services
- The ombudsman or dispute scheme for your sector, such as energy or communications
- Your bank, for chargeback or a Section 75 claim if you paid by card
Sources, checked 16 September 2026
- Citizens Advice: If you're unhappy about poor service (complaining, escalating to an ombudsman)
- Citizens Advice: Getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal (chargeback, Section 75 thresholds)
- Financial Ombudsman Service: How to complain (eight-week final response, six-month referral window)
This guide is general information for England and Wales and is not legal advice. Rules, time limits and which scheme applies can change and can depend on your situation. Check the current official guidance and get qualified advice where your own circumstances require it.
Common questions
Do I have to complain to the company first?
Usually yes. Follow the company's own complaints procedure first. An ombudsman will normally expect you to have done this before they look at your case.
How long does a company have to respond?
For financial services, the business generally has up to eight weeks to send a final response. If you are unhappy, or hear nothing in time, you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Can I get my money back through my card?
Possibly. Chargeback may work for debit or credit cards. If you paid by credit card and it cost more than £100 and up to £30,000, Section 75 may make the provider jointly liable.
Is going to the ombudsman free?
The Financial Ombudsman Service is free for consumers. You normally have six months from the date on the company's final response to bring your complaint.