Payment routes
Chargeback or small claims in Ireland
How to choose which route to check first for card-paid non-delivery, refund delays, and trader disputes.
- chargeback depends on how you paid
- card
- contact your bank quickly
- fast
- small claims is a separate court route
- route
Check your dispute first
Answer a few questions to see your options before writing your complaint.
Check your optionsWhen an order is not delivered or a refund stalls, Irish consumers often ask the same question: should I try a chargeback through my bank, or go to small claims?
A chargeback is not the same thing as a court claim. It is a card-payment route handled through your bank or card issuer under card-scheme rules. Small claims is an official court procedure for certain lower-value disputes.
TBD can help with the pre-court part: writing a clear complaint to the trader, organising evidence, and checking whether small claims might fit. It does not interpret card-scheme rules.
What to do next
- 1If you paid by debit or credit card, ask your bank or card provider about chargeback promptly.
- 2Write to the trader first and keep the complaint, refund request, and response evidence.
- 3Check small-claims fit only if the respondent, amount, category, and exclusions fit.
When chargeback may be useful
CCPC says a chargeback may be available where the supplier will not refund your money and you paid by credit or debit card. You should contact your bank or card provider immediately because timeframes can apply.
Chargeback is a payment-dispute process. The merchant may be asked for its side, and the outcome can depend on card-scheme and bank rules.
When small claims may fit
Small claims may be worth checking where the amount is within the cap, the dispute is about a covered category, the trader is Ireland-based, the respondent is identifiable, and no exclusion applies.
For cross-border EU consumer purchases, ECC Ireland may be a better route to check before assuming Irish small claims.
Common mistakes
The biggest mistake is waiting too long to ask about chargeback. Another is assuming small claims works against any online seller. A foreign seller, marketplace, finance arrangement, or private seller may change the route.
Before you write
- Order confirmation, invoice, receipt, or booking reference
- Proof of payment and payment method
- Delivery tracking or failed delivery evidence
- Screenshots of refund policy, delivery promise, or cancellation terms
- Written complaint to the trader and replies
- Trader legal name and address for small-claims checks
Questions people ask
Is chargeback faster than small claims?
Sometimes, especially for clear card-paid non-delivery or refund issues, but it depends on the bank process, merchant response, evidence, and timing.
Can I do both?
Do not double-count. If a bank reverses the payment, your claimed loss may change. Keep records current and ask the bank about its process.