'How I used Section 75 after Apple refused to repair my MacBook'
'I purchased an Apple MacBook Pro laptop from John Lewis a few years ago. It started having issues last year, with horizontal lines appearing intermittently across the bottom half of the screen.
'Then the screen started going black, making it impossible use. So, I took the laptop to Apple – they said the display needed to be replaced at cost of £739.
'I looked on the official Apple forum and found a number of users complaining about similar issues. I hadn't dropped or damaged the machine prior to this issue. It seems to me that it's a fault with the design. The laptop is a premium product and cost more than £2,000.
'I tried to start a claim with my credit card provider, MBNA, over the phone. They were very unhelpful, and no one gave me any meaningful advice.
'I remember being put on hold for ages and then being cut off a couple of times, so I started writing an email, but there was no contact address. I have no correspondence from MBNA to show I ever contacted them.'
Joe from Wiltshire
make a complaint
Claim a refund from your card provider
If you bought something with your card and things went wrong, you could make a Section 75 or chargeback claim. Just answer a few questions to build your claim. We'll then email it to you so you can send it to your card provider.
What did you buy?
Chiara Cavaglieri, Which? senior researcher, says:
You were initially very happy with your Apple Macbook Pro, but a premium laptop should clearly last more than a couple of years.
Under the Consumer Rights Act, your rights regarding faulty goods are against the retailer and can last for up to six years. However, after the first six months, the onus is on you to prove that a fault was there from the beginning and not just wear and tear.
In this case, you felt strongly that the laptop screen was faulty through no fault of your own. Given that you paid using a credit card, you correctly asked your credit card provider to step in and make a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
Which? contacted MBNA on your behalf, and within days, it had accepted your claim and agreed to cover the cost of the repair in full.
MBNA said: ‘We want to make things simple for our customers, and we’re sorry we weren’t able to help our customer when he first got in touch. Paying with your credit card can give you added peace of mind, as it means you're protected in many cases if something goes wrong, and you can always reach out to us for support.’
Why credit cards are still the safest way to pay
Credit cards remain an excellent way to pay for expensive goods such as a laptop.
Thanks to Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, your credit card company is jointly responsible with the retailer if you have a claim for breach of contract or misrepresentation.
This means you can ask it to step in if a retailer refuses to refund, repair or replace (as long as the price of the goods or services was over £100 and no more than £30,000).
You don't even need to put the full amount on a credit card – you could pay a deposit of £1 by credit card for an item costing £30,000 and still be entitled to bring a claim for the full amount.
There are ways you can be caught out, and Section 75 won't apply – for example, when you're buying a gift for someone, or you're a secondary cardholder. But, credit card providers sometimes unfairly reject claims.
Which? is particularly concerned that firms are still wrongly dismissing claims when marketplaces and booking agents act as 'middlemen' in the payment chain.
We explain how to fight your case if your Section 75 claim is rejected.
